Pavlik update-from espn.com

NEW YORK -- The reclamation project that is former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik is about to enter the next, inevitable phase: a new trainer (Robert Garcia) and a new training location (Oxnard, Calif.).

Pavlik and his father, co-manager Mike Pavlik, came to the Big Apple to take in Saturday night's Nonito Donaire-Omar Narvaez card at the Madison Square Garden Theater and, more important, to meet with co-manager Cameron Dunkin and sit down with Top Rank's Bob Arum, Todd duBoef and Carl Moretti.

Friday's meeting was meant to get them on the same page after Pavlik's terrible decision to pull out of a Showtime "ShoBox" fight against Darryl Cunningham on a few days' notice in August (for no other reason than his heart wasn't in it) and throw away a seven-figure super middleweight title opportunity that Top Rank had negotiated for him against Lucian Bute on Nov. 5. The sides had since had little contact, until the meeting.

Although Pavlik wasn't talking much -- only to say, when I ran into him in the hotel lobby Saturday afternoon, that it was a good meeting and that he was looking forward to fighting again -- by all accounts it did go well. Most notably, Pavlik, whose year began with a well-documented stint in alcohol rehab, is in the process of making the drastic change of leaving his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio and trainer Jack Loew for Garcia and his gym in Oxnard.

"Jack's out," Dunkin told me Saturday night following a media conference for Top Rank's Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito undercard on Dec. 3 at the Garden. "It's about seeing if Kelly still has any fight left in him, and he may not. He wasn't getting any better, he wasn't training, he had no organization. He wasn't in a positive way. So you have to make changes. You have to do something. You have to make drastic changes and see if it's going to work."


That means hooking up with Garcia, who also trains Dunkin clients Donaire, Brandon Rios and Mikey Garcia (Robert's younger brother), as well as Margarito.

"Robert Garcia, Oxnard. I'm excited about it," Dunkin said of Pavlik's impending move. "It's not done yet because there are two things I still have to work out, but this is about getting him out of Ohio. He's happy with the place. He's fine with the trainer. That's worked out -- he's going to go and train with Robert Garcia. That's done. He's going to go to Oxnard. That's done."

Arum also liked the choice of Garcia.

"I think Robert is ultimately going to be as good as Freddie Roach as a trainer," Arum said. "He isn't now, but he will be."

Loew has trained Pavlik (37-2, 32 KOs) at the South Side Boxing Club in Youngstown since he picked up gloves at age 9, so it's an unfortunate end to what had been something of a fairy tale. They reached the pinnacle of boxing together on Sept. 29, 2007, when Pavlik rallied from an early knockdown to knock out Jermain Taylor in the seventh round and win the middleweight world championship.

Despite their success, Pavlik, 29, never really lived up to his potential under Loew. He had health issues, pulled out of fights and had the drinking problem. Some believe he had stagnated under Loew, and periodically there were calls in some quarters for Pavlik to dump him. But Pavlik was always loyal, at least until now.

However, it seems that in order for Pavlik to save what is left of his career, he needs to get away from Youngstown and the myriad distractions there. Getting out of Ohio also means leaving the trainer he has referred to as a second father, a friend and brother.

"We had a nice meeting with Pavlik and we laid out a course of action that [Pavlik] liked," Arum said. "It's gonna be a whole new ballgame as to where he trains, who his trainer is going to be, where he's going to live."

Arum said if Pavlik wanted to remain in Youngstown, "I'm not interested. Jack is fine, but [Pavlik] needs to be away from Youngstown. That doesn't work [for him to stay there]. He was very, very receptive. What that ultimately means, I don't know. But we're going to fly him out to Oxnard, let him see the beach, the training facility, and I've offered to lease him a home."

Arum said if Pavlik wants to salvage what is left of his career, he must make a change. As much as it probably will hurt Loew, Arum is probably right.

"Can't do things that we know haven't worked and, in our opinion, won't work -- staying at home and all of that," Arum said.

If all goes well, Arum said he would schedule Pavlik for a 10-round fight "off television or on television, but small -- not HBO or Showtime, like a 'Top Rank Live' [card]."

As for when?
"Whenever he is ready and the trainer says he's ready," Arum said. "Then maybe two or three fights, and then we'll see what he wants to do. I've got to play it by ear. We have to see how it works. He was very receptive; he couldn't be more receptive."

Being receptive, however, and implementing the last-ditch plan are two different things.

The reclamation project that is former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik is about to enter the next, inevitable phase: a new trainer (Robert Garcia) and a new training location (Oxnard, Calif.).

Should have happened three years ago. Not surprised Arum put his foot down and demanded this to happen.

GrantZilla wrote:The reclamation project that is former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik is about to enter the next, inevitable phase: a new trainer (Robert Garcia) and a new training location (Oxnard, Calif.).

Should have happened three years ago. Not surprised Arum put his foot down and demanded this to happen.

yes it should have happened years ago. I still think Pavlik is in deep trouble at 168 for a couple of reasons. First, he doesn't have the size advantage he seemed to have over guys at 160. Second, the top guys at 168 are much better fighters than the guys Pavlik faced at 160. There just is a big difference in the class of the 2 divisions.

its a possitive step but it is a few years too late.pavik if hes hungry again dedicated and fights with mean determination can compete at 168 but can he be a winner..i think the odds are against that.

Pavlik's too slow. He's even slower at Super Middle.

not bad this means pavlik and sergio martinez could spar since sergio trains there also.

Pavlik with Garcia interesting.

I've always said Pavlik with his mind right can make some good fights at 168 and even win a belt if the right guy is holding it. Ward, Bute, Dirrell, Froch, and Kessler are massive favorites against him but Stieglitz, Sartison, Balzay, and Abraham would be good fights.

UBeeg9cats wrote:I've always said Pavlik with his mind right can make some good fights at 168 and even win a belt if the right guy is holding it. Ward, Bute, Dirrell, Froch, and Kessler are massive favorites against him but Stieglitz, Sartison, Balzay, and Abraham would be good fights.

Abraham and Pavlik should have fought at 160. Neither guy is good enough against the elite guys at 168 as those guys are faster and better than they are, but man oh man, Pavlik and Abraham would have had some action.

Pavlik vs. Froch needs to happen.

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:Pavlik vs. Froch needs to happen.

Why?

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:Pavlik vs. Froch needs to happen.

Why?

I concur. Why? Pavlik has proven to be effective above 160, has a drinking problem he is trying to overcome, and hasn't fought alot in the last 3 years. He really needs a new training location, new trainer, and a couple of fights to see if he has alot left.

Bute eats up Pavlik at 168. That's a brutal match and they'd be dumb to make it. Good fight for Bute, as it sets him up to blink a well known guy in the American market, but if I'm Garcia I keep my guy away from Bute.

Who can Pavlik beat at 168 outside a handpicked bum?

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:Pavlik vs. Froch needs to happen.

Why?

Because their styles and personalities will clash for a WAR.

Pavlik vs Andrade 1st

gomez1012 wrote:Pavlik vs Andrade 1st

Oh man that would be amazing.

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:Pavlik vs. Froch needs to happen.

Why?

Because their styles and personalities will clash for a WAR.

Froch would absolutely destroy Pavlik. Froch has been fighting and beating (save for Kessler) the tops in that division for the last three years. Pavlik looked average in his lone fight at the weight. Froch runs away with this one. Pavlik would retire after Froch.

I actually think Garcia is a good match for Pavlik because he's shown he can handle fighters of a variety of styles. The problem is, as people mentioned earlier, is this too late?

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:Pavlik vs. Froch needs to happen.

Why?

Because their styles and personalities will clash for a WAR.

Froch would absolutely destroy Pavlik. Froch has been fighting and beating (save for Kessler) the tops in that division for the last three years. Pavlik looked average in his lone fight at the weight. Froch runs away with this one. Pavlik would retire after Froch.

Thanks alot debbie downer.

I'd want to see Pavlik v. Abe. I think Pavlik could get him to come back to 168 with some trash talk and tv would pick it up. If Pavlik won he would be ready to legitimately challenge the better fighters in the division and if Abe won he'd regain some of his credibility and confidence.

Gumby wrote:I'd want to see Pavlik v. Abe. I think Pavlik could get him to come back to 168 with some trash talk and tv would pick it up. If Pavlik won he would be ready to legitimately challenge the better fighters in the division and if Abe won he'd regain some of his credibility and confidence.

I like it.