YOUNGSTOWN — Kelly Pavlik waited 10 months to get back in the ring.

By Joe Scalzo | December 20, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

He only needed five rounds to get back out of it.

Fighting for the first time since his February bout at the Covelli Centre, Pavlik dropped Miguel Espino three times in the final two rounds before Espino’s corner threw in the towel, handing Pavlik a fifth-round TKO victory in front of 3,409 fans Saturday night at Youngstown State University’s Beeghly Center.

“There was a little bit of rust,” said Pavlik, who retained his WBC and WBO middleweight titles. “I tip my hat to him. He came to fight. He was finding his way inside. He was a determined fighter. The kid fought a great fight.”

In the days leading up to the fight, Espino promised he was coming to fight and he backed it up, brawling in the middle of the ring while refusing to back up against the bigger, stronger Pavlik.

It was an exciting, courageous — and exceptionally unwise — strategy as Pavlik’s right uppercuts and hooks to the body proved too much for Espino.

“I didn’t stick to the game plan,” Espino said. “When I first got hit, it didn’t affect me too much. So I said, ‘The heck with the game plan. Let’s rumble.’”

Espino’s trainer, John Bray, said the game plan was to circle to the right, jab at Pavlik and force Pavlik to back up. Espino never tried it.

“As soon as he got hit, the warrior came out and he went toe to toe,” Bray said. “It was a big mistake. Kelly is a big puncher, and we fell into his trap. You can’t beat Kelly Pavlik by fighting his game. He is a great champion.”

The fighters traded big blows for the first three rounds and both got in a few good shots, although Pavlik consistently landed big power shots and mostly avoided Espino’s best punches. The biggest sign of rust came with Pavlik’s defense, which got sloppy at times.

Finally, midway through the fourth round, Pavlik hit Espino with a big right uppercut, dropping him to one knee for a standing eight count. He dropped him again a minute later with a big left hand and a right uppercut.

Referee Steve Smoger talked to Espino’s corner between the fourth and fifth rounds and he was cleared to continue.

Finally, a big straight right early in the fifth round stunned him and Pavlik patiently put on the pressure before the stoppage at 1:44.

“I was never seriously hurt,” Espino said. “It is what it is.”

Pavlik battled a staph infection in his left hand for much of the layoff and admitted afterward his hand was a little tender, but didn’t affect his performance. “It held up,” he said.

The fight was a replacement for a scheduled Dec. 5 bout with Paul Williams, which was canceled due to Pavlik’s injuries, prompting Williams’ camp to accuse Pavlik of ducking him.

Immediately after Saturday’s bout, Top Rank Boxing chairman Bob Arum said he still hopes to make a Pavlik-Williams bout in 2010.

“Let me say this to the loudmouths in the Williams camp — just initial the [original] contracts and we’ll make the fight first thing next year,” he said. “If they don’t do it, let them shut their damn mouths.”

Pavlik originally wanted to fight Williams in summer 2008, but said the Williams camp never signed the contracts. So, Pavlik instead jumped up two weight classes to fight Bernard Hopkins. Pavlik (35-2, 32 KOs) lost by unanimous decision.

“Paul Williams is not the most feared fighter in the world,” Pavlik said. “He’s got a guy standing right here in Youngstown who wants him.”

All three judges awarded Pavlik every round. He was ahead 40-33 on all three scorecards of judges William Lerch, Jack Woodburn and Steve Weisfeld.

The fight was part of a two-site broadcast on Top Rank pay-per-view. Because the Mexican portion ran long, Pavlik’s fight didn’t begin until 11:59 p.m.

Espino entered the ring walking to a crooning Spanish ballad. He got half-hearted boos from the crowd. Pavlik entered the ring to the heavy metal band Korn — as always — and got huge cheers. He all but ran into the ring and looked eager to resume fighting after a 10-month layoff.

The fans weren’t awarded with a long fight, but they were awarded with a good one.

“It was awesome,” Pavlik said. “The fans supported me in Atlantic City and Vegas, so this is a little giveback twice in a row and they deserve it. I’d like to thank them for coming out and showing their support.”

Pavlik only took Saturday’s fight after the WBC and WBO threatened to strip him of the belts if he didn’t defend the title. Espino, who was ranked No. 3 by the WBC, was available on short notice and passed muster with both sanctioning bodies, so he got the nod.

This was just the second time in Pavlik’s career he fought after such a long layoff. On July 27, he beat Bronco McKart by sixth-round TKO after a 10-month, 20-day layoff. It was the first time McKart had been knocked out in 56 pro fights at that point.

Pavlik’s hand problems actually began in late 2008 when he got a cortisone shot in the index finger of his left hand, near the knuckle. Pavlik has had issues with his hands throughout his career and the cortisone shots allow him to train and fight.

scalzo@vindy.com