Pavlik ready for Williams or Sturm

By Joe Scalzo

YOUNGSTOWN — There are a lot of no-names in the middleweight division. Aside from Kelly Pavlik, there are only two other big names.

Pavlik wants to fight at least one of them.

Following his fifth-round TKO of Miguel Espino on Saturday, Pavlik reiterated his desire to fight Paul Williams or WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm.

“If we can’t get Williams, I definitely want Sturm, but right now I think Williams is definitely the better fight,” Pavlik said. “I think that’s the fight that the fans want to see. That’s the fight that I want.”

Pavlik was originally scheduled to fight Williams in October, but Pavlik’s hand injuries forced him to postpone the bout until December, then cancel it completely.

Pavlik said his hand was tender following Saturday’s fight but doesn’t anticipate any long-term problems.

“It’s nothing ice can’t fix,” he said.

He said he’ll take at least three weeks off, then resume training, provided his promoters can make a fight with either Sturm or Williams.

Read the story in Monday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.