Oscar De La Hoya is set to fight Steve Forbes on May 3 at the Home Depot Center in Carson in a tuneup for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr (a fight no one wants to see, as it would be easier to just watch a tape of the first fight).
The Forbes fight is by De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and televised live on HBO not Pay-per-View.
Kelly Pavlik defeats Jermain Taylor Again in Rematch
Kelly Pavlik defeated Jermain Taylor for the second time on Saturday night, with a 12-round unanimous decision in a at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
Pavlik, 25, now undefeated in 33 fights, was contractually obliged to afford Taylor a re-match after flooring the former undisputed middleweight champion on September 29, in Atlantic City, when he captured the WBC and WBO middleweight titles.
The titles were not on the line in this fight as the two fighters had agreed to fight at a limit of 166lbs, a “catch-weight” above the normal middleweight limit.
Pavlik received decisive scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 on the cards.
Many think Taylor’s stock actually is rising after his second loss.
Next up for Pavlik could be the winner of Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins.
Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik VS Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor: The Rematch
The Rematch between Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik and Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor will take place on Saturday, February 16th at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (great excuse to shoot to Las Vegas if there ever was one.) The first fight, which Pavlik got up of the canvas in the second round to knock out Taylor in the seventh, was voted The G Manifesto’s Fight of the Year. The rematch takes place at a catch-weight of 166-pounds.
Pavlik (32-0, 29 KOs), from Youngstown, Ohio, has to be the favorite in the rematch. Although on paper a somewhat one-dimentional fighter, his one dimension (great jab and great straight right) has proven to be magic. He always comes to fight, has tons of heart, and throws shots with heat straight down the pipe.
Taylor, (27-1-1, 17 KOs), from Little Rock, Arkansas, the 2000 U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist, ran the middleweight division for nearly 2 years. He got impressive wins twice over Bernard Hopkins and a gutty win over Winky Wright. His defenses against Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks were uninspired however. Taylor will have Ozell Nelson in his corner, not Emanuel Steward.
Pavlik’s key to victory will be to keep Taylor at the end of his jab and straight right. And throw mad punches. Which shouldn’t be a real trick since that is the way Pavlik fights. He must also dictate the tempo of the fight.
Taylor has to keep his hands up more, which will be a trick since Taylor carries his left precariously low. Taylor also needs to get busy and throw his right with abandon, like he did against Winky Wright. Side to side movement should negate Pavlik’s straight ahead attack. He also needs to take advantage of his advantage in handspeed.
The Prediction:
It is hard to think of a different outcome in this fight from the first. Taylor will really need to make some changes if he is going to win the rematch. Keep in mind, though that Taylor was seconds away from winning their first fight.
I see this as a action packed, rawkus, ruckus of a fight with Taylor having alot of success. But I see Taylor fading in the later rounds and Pavlik pulling out a Round 10 or 11 KO.
The best scenario for Boxing would be for Taylor to come out smoking the right and putting Pavlik away early. Then we can have a rubber match a la
Rocky Graziano – Tony Zale. The middleweight division needs that to happen. Boxing needs that to happen. It is just hard to envision it.
Youngstown, Ohio looks like it has its best fighter since Harry Arroyo and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. Never been to Ohio, but maybe I should take a trip to Youngstown’s South Side Boxing Gym and spar a few rounds up there to get ready for the party scene on the South of France this summer. Well, maybe not, it is Ohio after all. Anyone know if you can smoke in bars up there?
