Pavlik likes Roman as sparring partner

By Joe Scalzo

Roman knocked Rubio out in the second round of Rubio’s sixth pro fight in 2001.

YOUNGSTOWN — A little over three weeks ago, Saul Roman arrived in Youngstown to serve as a sparring partner for Kelly Pavlik.

He quickly learned why very few people from Tijuana, Mexico, come to northeast Ohio in January.

“He didn’t leave the hotel,” said Team Pavlik member Mike Diaz, who served as Roman’s interpreter. “He was like a lion in a cage, pacing back and forth in his room.

“He doesn’t like the snow.”

Roman unleased his pent-up energy at the gym, going toe-to-toe with Pavlik in brutal sparring sessions to give the middleweight champ a near-perfect replica of Saturday’s opponent, Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio.

“Great look,” said Pavlik’s father, Mike Sr. “Maybe the best we’ve ever had.”

The 28-year-old Roman is very familiar with Rubio, having knocked him out in the second round of Rubio’s sixth pro fight on June 1, 2001.

Rubio repaid the favor on Jan. 1, 2003, stopping Roman in the fourth round to win the Mexican light middleweight belt.

Roman is a member of Julio Cesar Chavez’s camp. Like Rubio and Chavez, Roman fights in the classic Mexican style, looking to come forward with a lot of upper-body movement.

“He brings that style, that toughness,” Pavlik’s trainer, Jack Loew, said of Roman. “He throws those wide body shots like Rubio throws.

“I wish we would have had him here since the beginning because he’s been a huge asset. He’s one of the best sparring partners we’ve had.”

During a four-round sparring session last Thursday, Roman was extremely active, burying his head into Pavlik’s chest and unleashing a flurry of punches, landing a few and absorbing a few more.

Pavlik’s camp expects Rubio to be a little more cautious on Saturday — it is a scheduled 12-rounder after all, even if few expect it to go the distance — but, as Loew said, Rubio isn’t suddenly going to turn into a boxer like Bernard Hopkins.

“Saul knew he was only going four rounds,” said Loew. “He went six rounds a few days ago and in the fifth and sixth rounds, I felt bad for him because he took a pounding.

“But he’s game and he’s gonna come in and give you hell.”

That’s exactly what Pavlik needed.

“I’ve gotten great work,” said Pavlik. “Early in camp, he gave me the Rubio look and the last couple days of sparring, he got me to throw a lot of punches because he knows after four rounds, he’s done.”

While not quite a top contender, Roman (30-5, 25 KOs) is a talented boxer. At 5-foot-7, he’s about 6 inches shorter than Rubio but he’s got a long reach and a muscular build.

“He’s a very, very good fighter,” Pavlik said.

He’s also extremely friendly, shaking the hands of everyone in the gym with an “hola” or “buenos dias” thrown in.

“He’s a nice guy,” said Loew. “I just don’t know what the heck he’s saying.”

The fighters get along well — after the first day of training, Roman told Pavlik he was one of the most humble champions he ever fought with, Diaz said — and it’s been mutually beneficial.

“He’s a strong fighter,” Roman said of Pavlik. “I learned a lot from training with him.

“I needed that. I needed someone like him to make me work a little bit.”

Roman has been impressed with Pavlik’s ability — his one criticism is that Pavlik could use a little more upper-body movement — and called the champion a “lion” and “a perfect fighter for his weight.”

“Kelly Pavlik is a tremendous person and he’s treated me well,” he said. “If they need me again, I’ll come back.”

Preferably in the summer.

scalzo@vindy.com