Pavlik on ShoBox - Tune Up for DeGale or Bute

Former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik was out of action for 13 months after losing the title to Sergio Martinez, so naturally when he returned he looked a bit rusty.

But Pavlik, who spent two months of his time away from the ring in rehab for an alcohol problem, still won his fight, outpointing Alfonso Lopez on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley undercard on May 7.

Pavlik (37-2, 32 KOs), who moved up to super middleweight, didn't turn in what anyone could call a bad performance, but neither was it anything to write home about. The rust was evident.

With Pavlik's big name, he could have easily walked into a big fight in the fall just off the lone victory against Lopez. However, Pavlik, his management and promoter Top Rank all believe he needs at least one more bout before a likely November fight with super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute.

So that is what Pavlik will get, in the form of an Aug. 6 fight on Showtime's "ShoBox: The New Generation," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said.

Arum said the fight (against an opponent to be determined) will take place at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, Pavlik's hometown.

"Kelly feels that he has to fight to keep the rust off. That's what [trainer] Jack Loew told me," Arum said. "So we want to give Kelly every chance to be competitive and beat Bute. I think a top Kelly Pavlik, without ring rust, is capable of beating Bute, who is an excellent fighter."

"Basically, the idea is for Kelly to knock off some more rust and get him sharper, and then he can start fighting the big fights," co-manager Cameron Dunkin said. "The thing I liked about his fight with Lopez is he looked better as it went on. Get him another fight and he'll get that much sharper."

A Pavlik tuneup fight makes sense for Showtime, too, which has Bute under contract. And getting a fighter with Pavlik's name value on its B series would be a coup.

"To get Kelly on 'ShoBox,' with the moderate fee they pay, is a real plus for Showtime and it will also be a big help so Kelly can get sharp," Arum said.

Bute (28-0, 23 KOs), a star in his adopted hometown of Montreal, would have to win a July 9 mandatory defense against Jean Paul Mendy, which will take place in Bute's native Romania. Showtime plans to air highlights of the bout during its live telecast that night featuring lightweight titlist Brandon Rios defending against Urbano Antillon.

Although Pavlik facing Bute is the most likely scenario, Arum said British promoter Frank Warren, a longtime friend of Arum's, called him to gauge the interest in a fall fight between Pavlik and James DeGale (10-1, 8 KOs), the 2008 Olympic gold medalist who suffered his first defeat via decision to rival George Groves in May.

"Frank was in touch with me about doing the fight with DeGale, and we'd consider it, but the preference is for Kelly to fight Bute," Arum said.

Dunkin said Pavlik is willing to go to England to face DeGale.

"Bute is a bigger fight, but they're offering really good money for DeGale," Dunkin said. "It's something you gotta look at. Frank Warren thinks he can sell it, so it would have to be over there. Kelly and [his father and co-manager] Mike [Pavlik] said they were fine with it."

To get Pavlik ready for Bute or DeGale -- both left-handers -- Top Rank's Carl Moretti said matchmaker Brad "Abdul" Goodman was on the hunt for a southpaw opponent for Pavlik's August fight.

"I think it's clearly a smart move on everybody's part for Kelly to get in the ring again and get active against a southpaw," Moretti said. "If we're thinking about Bute or DeGale, why fight a small right-handed guy? You want to fight a taller lefty."

Although Pavlik is on top of the list for Bute, his people have also reached out to promoter Lou DiBella about matching Bute with former light heavyweight champ Glen Johnson, who dropped down to 168 pounds and advanced to the semifinals of the Super Six World Boxing Classic before losing to titlist Carl Froch on points in a competitive fight on June 4.

Ali wrote:Wonder why Frank is so keen to throw Degale in with Pavlik with only eleven professional fights.

UBeeg9cats wrote:My guess is Frank sees what many people see in Pavlik: a big name with nothing left that hasn't taken the damaging L yet. Only 1 boxer gets to receive that discounted big name W before fans and media write off the big name and Warren wants it to be Degale.

gomez1012 wrote:

UBeeg9cats wrote:My guess is Frank sees what many people see in Pavlik: a big name with nothing left that hasn't taken the damaging L yet. Only 1 boxer gets to receive that discounted big name W before fans and media write off the big name and Warren wants it to be Degale.

+1

And he's a recovering alcoholic coming to the pub capital of the world.

UBeeg9cats wrote:While I hope I am a rational fan, I just don't see either one of those L's as being particularly damaging to him. He had to move up 10 lbs to face a first ballot HOFer and got whipped. People seem to forget that he was winning the Martinez fight after 8 rounds. He got cut and was out of it from the 9th round on. If he had a more experienced cut man, he might have still won. Either way, he lost a competitive decision to a top P4P fighter.

However, the next loss won't be to a legend and probably won't be against a top P4P fighter. It will most likely be to a somewhat highly ranked SMW but will be very ugly.

UBeeg9cats wrote:He had to move up 10 lbs to face a first ballot HOFer and got whipped. People seem to forget that he was winning the Martinez fight after 8 rounds. He got cut and was out of it from the 9th round on. If he had a more experienced cut man, he might have still won. Either way, he lost a competitive decision to a top P4P fighter.