After win, Lyell’s manager pursuing bout with Pavlik

By Joe Scalzo

YOUNGSTOWN — Billy Lyell’s manager, Pat Nelson, is pushing hard for his fighter to get a shot at Kelly Pavlik.

“I think that’s the title fight that makes the most sense,” said Nelson.

Lyell isn’t so sure.

“I’m not looking for a fight with Kelly,” said Lyell, a Niles native who is coming off the biggest victory of his career. “Pat is my manager and he’s trying to find the biggest fight available, so obviously with Pavlik being the champ, that’s what he’s trying to do.

“I would never turn down a title fight with anyone, but it’s unrealistic that [a Pavlik fight] would ever happen.”

Lyell (19-7) shocked Irish middleweight John Duddy last weekend in New Jersey and Nelson is looking to capitalize on his fighter’s newfound fame to earn a title shot. Although Lyell already has some good offers to fight overseas, Nelson believes the Pavlik fight is best due to the fighters’ familiarity and geography.

“We want a big fight and that one seems to make the most sense to me,” said Nelson. “We’re trying to capitalize on a big win. Pavlik is the biggest fight out there.

“This is the Sweet Science. It’s not rocket science.”

Lyell and his handlers have received several offers since Friday’s win, including a rematch with Duddy in Ireland and a three-fight deal with Sauerland, the German promotion company that promotes IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham.

Lyell could also get an opportunity to fight WBA champion Felix Sturm, who also hails from Germany.

“I think I stand a decent chance against either of the Germans,” Lyell said. “I’m looking forward to fighting either of those fights or a fight at super welterweight.”

Lyell said he would prefer to stay at 154 pounds, where the 5-foot-9 fighter would face fighters his size. Lyell weighed 155 pounds for the Duddy bout — five under the middleweight limit — and said he had to stuff himself just to reach that weight. Pavlik, by comparison, stands 6-21‚Ñ2 and his “walking around weight” is about 175 pounds.

“On top of that, we’re friends,” Lyell said. “Kelly was one of the first to call and congratulate me for beating Duddy.

“I’m not worried about the payday. There are more important things than money.”

Loew strongly opposes a Pavlik-Lyell fight and feels Lyell’s best option is to fight overseas.

“This is a prime example of a manager more interested in padding his pockets than in thinking about the safety of his fighter,” Loew said of Nelson.

Nelson’s response?

“It seems hypocritical that someone who has made hundreds of thousands of dollars off Kelly Pavlik would accuse me of trying to pad my pockets,” said Nelson. “It is my responsibility to secure Billy Lyell the biggest and most lucrative fights in the middleweight division.”

Pavlik, who did not return a phone message for this story, is scheduled to fight former light middleweight champion Sergio Mora on June 27 in Atlantic City. Mora, winner of the first season of “The Contender,” is coming off a loss to Vernon Forrest at 154 pounds.

Nelson feels that money would be better off staying in the Valley, envisioning a Lyell-Pavlik bout at Stambaugh Stadium.

“Spending our diminishing disposable income in New Jersey would be a shame,” Nelson wrote in a press release to several publications. “In my opinion, Lyell is better than Mora and undeniably better than Duddy.

“Why should Valley residents travel and spend money to see a fight in Jersey while a viable challenger walks the streets of Youngstown?”

Although he prefers a Pavlik bout, Nelson said his main objective is a title fight.

“It’s not Pavlik; it’s the belt,” he said. “Every fighter’s goal is to get a world title fight.

“We’re chasing a championship dream, not a particular individual.”

scalzo@vindy.com