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San Francisco, CA- When Kelly Pavlik fights, people take notice. The current World middleweight (160 lbs.) champion was at first thought to be a “creation of skillful matchmaking.” That was prior to his beating Edison Miranda, and before dispatching Jermain Taylor for the championship. To add drama to the win over Taylor, the native of Youngstown, OH, got off the deck, this after being nailed to the canvas by a hammer-like Taylor right hand.

SURVIVING ROUND ETCHED IN OUR MINDS

With his surviving that third round drop, Pavlik proved that he truly belonged. Not just a white kid with promotional connections, Kelly has stones that 7'foot hoop legend Wilt Chamberlain would envy. Since the title win, Pavlik, now 33-0, 29 KOs, beat Taylor in an “over the weight” rematch. Although not nearly as scintillating as the first fight, Pavlik out boxed Taylor over 12 heats to remain unbeaten.

AN OPPORTUNITY HE WON'T SQUANDER

This Saturday night, with HBO carrying the fight, Kelly will spend some time with Gary Lockett (30-1, 21 KOs). A pedestrian pugilist from the UK, there is nothing of note that I can really say about Lockett, except that he's trained by World light heavyweight (175) titleholder Joe Calzaghe's father Enzo Calzaghe. Other than that, he appears to be an ordinary specimen, one that will surely fall inside the distance to boxing's MVP.


PAVLIK CERTAINLY EMBOLDENS AMERICANA

The city of Youngstown, OH, has brought us some good fighters of note. Most notably, Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini, and the cross town rival he avoided, Harry Arroyo. The town is the blueprint of “blue collar” America. Once a sprawling city of industry, Youngstown was cut down at the knees by the North American Free Trade Alliance. The lowest point of the administration of President Bill Clinton, the community of 100,000 people was devastated when industry left town and went south of the border for cheaper wages.

THE PRIDE OF A RUNDOWN METROPOLIS

There is little left here in this town with the exception being the 26-year old Pavlik, to be proud of, unless of course you're stuck in times gone by. Having seen his home town go from prosperous to nearly destitute, Pavlik who has made a few million bucks thus far, he refused to buy a $400 wristwatch because he thought it was too much to throw down for a time piece. I'm not implying that Kelly's cheap, because he isn't. But it's decisions like this that stamp “blue collar” on his forehead. Looking into the fistic crystal ball, he may end up meeting the aforementioned Joe Calzaghe, possibly at a “catch” weight somewhere between middleweight and light heavy. This appears to be the only “super” match out there for Pavlik, seeing the middleweight division hasn't another real superstar, unless you consider retread Winky Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs), or unbeaten European Arthur Abraham (26-0, 21 KOs) pay per view material.

FUTURE NOT AT MIDDLEWEIGHT

And while the fight Saturday with Lockett appears to be quite winnable, it is how Kelly goes about things that will determine whether or not his stock value rises or doesn't. In the crowd will be Joe Calzaghe, a volume fighter with amateur tendencies. Quoting RingTalk.com writer Matthew Grizzle in a ”Ring Talk Radio” appearance this past Sunday, Calzaghe, or Calslappy as some bloggers refer to him, he can't hang with Kelly Pavlik. This means the true superstardom of Mr. Pavlik will not occur at middleweight, but rather light heavyweight!