Amazing action shots from the Kelly Pavlik vs Bernard Hopkins fight October 18, 2008 from Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall.

BY: Diamond Boxing www.diamondboxing.com 

Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik is set to face Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins in a light heavyweight battle at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Saturday October 18. The bout will be shown on HBO PPV starting at 9PM EST. Pavlik is listed as a heavy favorite at 4 to 1 odds and looks to be the first one to knock out the future Hall of Famer Hopkins.

Pavlik who is coming off a 3^rd round knockout victory over Gary Lockett in a bout also held at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, will be stepping up to fight Hopkins at a catch weight of 170 pounds in this non title bout. Pavlik will also be putting his perfect record of 34 -0 on the line against the 43 year old Hopkins. The Ghost as many refer to him as will also carry the boxing torch with him into the ring. If he could defeat Hopkins in a decisive manner the pound for pound champion status could be his. With the likes of De La Hoya, Mosley, Roy Jones Jr. and European greats Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe winding down their careers, Pavlik can become the one boxing looks towards to carry the sport to the next level. This may include a major bout on national television to rival the MMA Events shown on CBS. Pavlik is likable he has that All American image, he is from the working class town of Youngstown, Ohio  and likes the family lifestyle. He trains in his home town at the local gym under the watchful  eye of his trainer Jack Loew  and after his first victory over Jermain Taylor back in September of 1997 Pavlik gained a great deal of fan respect. In that bout Pavlik survived a second round knockdown and came back to over power Taylor, knocking him out in the 7^th round. Pavlik in that second round demonstrated the heart of a champion, not many would have been able to comeback from the Taylor barrage like Pavlik did. The second round recovery sealed the Pavlik name in boxings all heart club. America likes heart, America likes Champions and in Pavlik they have both.

So now the next hurdle for Pavlik is the 43 year old six packer from Philly Bernard Hopkins. The crafty veteran Hopkins will not go lightly into the night. He will use his defensive style to his advantage, looking for the right moments to attack Pavlik and don’t forget the first round of Hopkins last bout with Joe Calzaghe. Hopkins caught Calzaghe in that first round and recorded a flash knockdown, even though Hopkins did not win the Calzaghe bout, he hung in there for all 12 rounds and actually was ahead on one of the judges score cards. So this will not be an easy task for Pavlik, who may just need to settle for a scorecard victory. Pavlik may not get the big knockdown over Hopkins but a workman like victory still will earn Pavlik a big victory over a well known and respected boxer. This will elevate Pavlik to another level and one step closer to the elite boxing status of pound for pound king.

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