Sturm retains WBA belt, could fight Pavlik next

Vindicator staff/wire reports

YOUNGSTOWN — Felix Sturm may have taken a step closer to fighting Kelly Pavlik.

Sturm retained his WBA middleweight title on Saturday in Nuerburg, Germany, beating Khoren Gevor in a unanimous decision.

Pavlik’s handlers had been in negotiations for the Youngstown native to fight Sturm on Oct. 3. The two sides are still negotiating and Sturm’s handlers may have been waiting for the results of Saturday’s bout.

“It’s up in the air right now,” said Pavlik, who wasn’t able to watch the fight on TV but read about the result on the Web. “There’s a lot of other fighters being mentioned but I’m ready to fight him [Sturm].”

Sturm (33-2-1) has fought just once in the United States — a unanimous decision loss to Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas in 2004 — and all but four of his bouts have been in Germany.

One hurdle to the Sturm-Pavlik fight was HBO’s recent offer of $2 million for the bout, which was significantly lower than the two sides were seeking. But with IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham moving up to 168-pounds in Showtime’s planned super middleweight tournament, there are few attractive opponents left for Pavlik at middleweight.

“I’ll take care of business at 160 and whoever wins that [Showtime] tournament, I’ll fight,” Pavlik said.

Sturm relied on clean, strong shots that stunned Gevor several times throughout the 12-round fight. But the Armenian challenger was aggressive and tenacious, moving Sturm around the ring and keeping him in a defensive crouch.

All three judges called the fight for Sturm, 115-113 twice and 117-111. Many in the arena were disappointed, including Gevor, who said “no one won that fight.”

Sturm said he wasn’t as perturbed by Gevor’s dissent as he was by what he said were some dirty moves in the ring.

“He wants to be world champion, like everyone, but you have to do more than push with your head,” Sturm said.

Sturm, a German, hasn’t lost in his past nine fights, though he only mustered a draw against Randy Griffin in October 2007.

He beat Griffin by unanimous decision later that year. His recent fights before Saturday been a string of easy victories.

Arturo Gatti found dead

Former boxing champion Arturo Gatti, one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, was found dead in a hotel room in the posh seaside resort of Porto de Galihnas early Saturday.

Police investigator Edilson Alves said the body of the former junior welterweight champ was discovered in his hotel room at the tourist resort, where Gatti had arrived on Friday with his Brazilian wife Amanda and 1-year-old son. Alves said police were investigating and it was unclear how the 37-year-old Canadian died.

A spokeswoman for the state public safety department said Gatti’s wife and son were unhurt.

“There were no bullet or stab wounds on his body, but police did find blood stains on the floor,” she said.

Gatti first captured the junior welterweight title in 1995, when he defeated Tracy Harris Patterson in Atlantic City, N.J. His brawling style and natural charisma made him a fan favorite, and he became one of New Jersey’s adopted sons while fighting some of his most memorable battles on the Boardwalk.

Pavlik, who said he saw Gatti a month ago, called the death “saddening and surprising.”

“It’s just so sad,” he said. “A legend like that, with some many great fights in the sport of boxing. ... I enjoyed watching him fight.”

Pavlik has called Atlantic City his second home and credits Gatti for revitalizing interest in boxing in the city.

“He was the one that started it,” he said. “Then I took over his spot.”

Francisco Assis, a local police investigator, told G1 that Gatti could have died up to eight hours before his body was found early Saturday.