Pavlik concedes he has a lot to prove

NEW YORK — Kelly Pavlik, the WBC and WBO champ returns to the ring Feb. 21 at the Chevrolet Centre to defend his belts against Marco Antonio Rubio, the No. 1 WBC contender.

Pavlik, who lost to Jermaine Hopkins at 170 pounds, 10 pounds over his weight class, in his last fight, conceded that the defeat meant so much and so little at the same time — his belts weren’t on the line, but his reputation was.

“I still feel like a champ, but there’s still a lot of proving to do,” Pavlik said. “What’s very important about this fight is not going in and [just] winning a decision, a boring fight, or coming away with a ‘W.’ I feel as if I’ve got to go in there and shine.

“I’ve got to win convincingly, if it’s by knockout or if it’s by just a dominating performance for 12 rounds.”

Read the story in Wednesday’s Vindicator.