HBO boxing 4/17: Kelly Pavlik vs Sergio Martinez

• Hulk Smash

  Pavlik is the linear middleweight champion and brings a record of 36-1(32 ko's) into the ring. Martinez is 44-2-1, holds a light middleweight belt and is stepping up to challenge Kelly.
  This is the first time Pavlik is facing a man who is a real threat to take his middleweight championship since he won it by knocking out Jermain Taylor(the Hopkins fight was above the 160lb limit).
  
  Pavlik is the bigger man and heavier puncher in the fight, Martinez is the slicker, faster boxer.
  Martinez' last time in the ring just four months ago he found himself in a brutal war with Paul Williams which a lot of people(including me) think he won.
  Already being in his mid-30's and coming off a brutal fight like that I don't think Martinez is ever going to be the same, Pavlik is not going to have to deal with same Martinez that Williams did.
  Based on that I'm picking Pavlik TKO 9
  
  The first fight will be Lucian Bute(25-0) vs Edison Miranda(33-4) from Montreal.
  The arena will be sold out with Bute fans and one way or the other the fight will end in a KO.
  
  For anybody that is interested Top Rank is going to stream the undercard fights from New Jersey for free(I think):
  http://www.fightnews.com/?p=42961
  Rising welterweight Mike Jones whom I believe(along with Antwone Smith) will be one of the top boxers in the world will be on the stream.
• Hulk Smash

  sportsbetting .com currently has Pavlik at -200
  
  Friday Night Fights has retreads in the main event tonight.
  Heavyweights Tony Thompson(33-2) vs Owen Beck(29-4)
  The interesting matchup is Hank Lundy(17-0-1) vs Tyrese Hendrix(18-0-1) on the undercard.
  
  Shobox has an interesting main event tonight.
  Fernando Guerrero(17-0) vs Michael Walker(19-3-2)
  Guerrero is well promoted up there, every time he fights in Maryland he sells out the arena.
  Walker will come to fight but he won't beat Guerrero.
  Akron's Shawn Porter(13-0) is on the undercard vs Raul Pinzon(17-4).
  Pinzon will make Porter look good and get knocked out.
• Non

  

  I might not be able to watch this one.
  
  I'm moving back to Ohio from Florida Saturday and Sunday. Unless I find a hotel with HBO.
  
  I think this will be a real test for Pavlik but you make a good point about Martinez fighting Paul Williams and now taking this one.
  
  Williams knocked Martinez down, correct? That should bode well for Pavlik being the bigger, stronger of the two but Martinez has the handspeed and Pavlik could have trouble with that.
• iclfan2

  

  Pavlik needs to fight Williams next. I know his fight got cancelled because of Staff infection, but he needs to come back and fight winners. He needs to get his reputation back. I read an article saying Williams tried pushing Loew around when they were trying to schedule another fight, which is why I think they took Martinez, who a lot of people think won the fight against Williams. The article also says if he knocks Martinez out in good fashion then he might be a contender to have a fight in the new Texas stadium, which would be sweet.
• Hulk Smash

  Williams scored a flash knockdown in the first round when he caught Martinez off balance, he was not hurt, got up and put Williams down clean just before the bell. Williams was fortunate that it happened so close to the bell because he was clearly hurt.
  
  Williams has a tough fight of his own coming up with Kermit Cintron.
• killer_ewok

  

  Man, Kelly Pavlik threads on the old huddle were full of supporters. All of the Ytown pride and love.
  
  Where'd it go?
• krazie45

  

  Well obviously he hasn't fought much lately, but as a proud youngstowner rooting for the ghost I'll be checking this fight out. Trust me, support for Kelly Pavlik, at least in Y-town, hasn't dwindled at all. He just hasn't been in the news much as of late.
• Hulk Smash

  The old huddle love affair with Pavlik cooled off when he got ran over by Hopkins.
• sherm03

  

  I think Pavlik wins by TKO in the 7th. He needs to dominate this fight to get some rep back, and I think he'll come out trying to end the fight quickly.
  
  As far as the lack of support on this site for Pavlik...I've heard that a lot of people back home have cooled on Kelly because of his out of the ring issues. I'm still a Pavlik supporter, and always will be. But I've heard from a few people back home that the lay off as well as some other problems has caused the Pavlik fire to cool down some.
  
  Win, lose, or draw...I think tonight could be Pavlik's last fight at 160. I think it's just getting too hard for him to cut the weight and I could see him moving up very soon.
• Ytowngirlinfla

  

  man im pissed cause no where near where im at is showing the fight. anyone have a link to watch online?
• Gardens35

  Some interesting comments by Boom Boom Mancini in today's Vindicator.
  
  Several Pavlik articles at www.vindy.com
• killer_ewok

  

  All that posturing and taunting by Miranda and he gets dropped. LOL.
• ts1227

  

  http://atdhe.net/15526/watch-kelly-pavilk-vs-sergio-martinez
  
  Foreign language broadcast (and sometimes random commentary in English from some event that is not boxing), but a stream nonetheless
• killer_ewok

  

  2 minutes into the fight and Pavlik is already bleeding.
• killer_ewok

  

  Martinez looks too quick and fast for Pavlik thus far. 2 rounds to 0 in favor of Sergio.
• killer_ewok

  

  Sergio still in control after 4 rounds.
• killer_ewok

  

  Pavlik starting to find the range. Definitely his best round there as he won that one.
• killer_ewok

  

  Pavlik drops Martinez in the 7th. He's back up though.
• killer_ewok

  

  A dramatic shift in this fight. Pavlik is probably ahead now after the last 3 rounds.
• killer_ewok

  

  Martinez takes control and turns things around in the 9th round. Pavlik wearing a crimson mask now. Sergio definitely took that round. Close fight.
• killer_ewok

  

  Sergio owned the 10th.
• killer_ewok

  

  I think the Ghost is toast barring a knockdown in the 12th.
• killer_ewok

  

  This should be a Martinez win.
• ts1227

  

  Should be unanimous decision for Martinez, but we shall see
• killer_ewok

  

  Martinez wins by UD.