Blustery Hopkins can’t rile soft-spoken Pavlik

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Kelly Pavlik and trainer Jack Loew

Saturday’s rivals displayed contrasting styles during their press conference.

Vindicator staff/wire reports

NEW YORK — One fighter was the aggressor, making the big moves and going for it all. The other was more evasive, biding his time and defending himself.

Kelly Pavlik and Bernard Hopkins were a contrast in styles at their news conference Tuesday. They will be again Saturday in their 170-pound bout in Atlantic City, but then the roles will reverse.

Four days before the fight, Hopkins was his bombastic self, trying to bait his opponent into betting $250,000 that Pavlik will become the first boxer to knock out the 43-year-old.

“I hear things and I understand Pavlik is coming to Atlantic City saying he will knock me out,” said Hopkins. “The last man who said that was [Antonio] Tarver and he not only didn’t, but it cost him $250,000 out of his pocket.”

Pavlik, the 26-year-old undefeated middleweight champion, has 30 knockouts in 34 career bouts.

Promoter Bob Arum deflected the dare before his boxer even stepped to the podium, and Pavlik spoke briefly and without bluster.

“I haven’t one fight, ever, predicted a KO,” Pavlik said calmly. “I don’t train eight hard weeks with a brutal workout regimen and put my body through what I do just to knock somebody out. I go in there to win — 12 rounds. If a knockout comes, that’s great.”

The aggressive, big-hitting Pavlik better be prepared to go 12 rounds with Hopkins (48-5-1), the wily former champ with a knack for outlasting opponents.

Hopkins suggested Pavlik won’t be able to adjust his style to win.

“The last time I seen or heard is Kelly Pavlik’s been at his best knocking people out and coming forward and being himself,” Hopkins said. “No matter what’s been changed or what’s been added on or what we’re working on, that’s great. But, trust me, when you’re undefeated and never had to taste the taste of losing or even lost ... [you’re] going to go back to what [you’re] comfortable with doing.”

Hopkins, who holds the record with 20 middleweight title defenses, started his career with a 46-2 record. His lone losses were to Clinton Mitchell (by majority decision in his first professional fight) and to Roy Jones Jr. (by unanimous decision in May of 1993). But Hopkins lost the belt in a controversial split decision to Jermain Taylor in 2005, then lost the rematch by unanimous decision.

After beating Tarver and Ronald “Winky” Wright in back-to-back unanimous decisions, he lost to Joe Calzaghe in April by split decision.

Hopkins has fought much tougher competition over his career but his body also carries a lot of mileage. There’s a decent gap in the number of bouts for each fighter (54-34); there’s a huge gap in the number of rounds (384-127).

Pavlik has gone more than eight rounds just once — against Taylor in February — while Hopkins has not fought fewer than seven rounds since 1998, a span of 17 fights. His last six bouts have gone the distance. Hopkins’ last knockout was against Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 (in the ninth round). It is still De La Hoya’s only knockout.

Pavlik, meanwhile, has knocked out 10 of his last 11 opponents. A KO of Hopkins would do a lot to burnish his legacy, but the Youngstowner has repeatedly he’d be fine with a decision.

“Hopkins really is a legend,” Pavlik said. “I want my legacy to be great also.”