Career Record and Bio for Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik

At the age of 27, Kelly Pavlik has turned many heads in boxing. Quite literally, as his devastating power has engulfed his previous foes mostly by knockout. However, don’t let Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik fool you. He’s also a very established boxer, and can pull his weight around the ring with slick boxing and counter punching abilities. With Kelly fighting at a weight of 160 lbs, he has stayed active in the ring, made steady progress, and is coming into his prime.

Early Career, earning his mark

Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik turned pro in 2000 and was able to win 26 consecutive fights while remaining largely unnoticed by the boxing public. He then stepped into the ring against Fulgencio Zuniga for the vacant NABF Middleweight title in October of 2005. Zuniga scored a knockdown with a left hook in the first round, but Pavlik beat the count and continued. Kelly recovered quickly and dominated the rest of the fight. Zuniga’s corner threw in the towel after the ninth round. Pavlik picked up the win and the regional title.

In July of 2006, Pavlik defeated former champion Bronco McKart. Pavlik knocked McKart down twice in the sixth round before the referee stopped the fight. His next fight was against Lenord Pierre and Kelly scored a total of 4 knockdowns. This led the referee to finally stop the bout after a Pavlik left hook sent Pierre to the canvas in the fourth round. In his next fight Kelly defeated Jose Luis Zertuche when he landed an uppercut that dropped Zertuche face first to the canvas. Quickly Pavlik finally gained some support and was set to face Edison Miranda in an elimination match for the right to face middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.

Kelly Pavlik stepped into the ring against Edison Miranda on May 19, 2007. The minute the bell rang, Pavlik came right after Miranda putting him on the defensive. The result was an action packed fight in which Pavlik bullied the normally aggressive bully Miranda. During the sixth round Pavlik sent Miranda to the canvas twice. Miranda was not able to recover and came out in the seventh round only to be stopped by a barrage of stunning combinations from Pavlik. The referee stopped the bout, and Kelly Pavlik gained his world title shot.

Bouts with Jermain Taylor

Kelly Pavlik stepped into the ring in September of 2007 against Jermain Taylor for the Ring, WBC and WBO middleweight titles. Pavlik was knocked down in the second round, and thereafter was tossed around by Taylor. However using his reach advantage, Pavlik started to trap Taylor against the ropes. During the halfway point, and already ahead on the scorecards, Pavlik put Taylor on the defensive with his stunning overhand rights. In the seventh round Pavlik lit Jermain Taylor with a hard uppercut followed by a dangerous left hook that sent Taylor crumpling to the canvas. Pavlik picked up the win and the titles.

After the defeat, Jermain Taylor activated his clause for a non-title rematch with Pavlik. The two fighters stepped into the ring on February 16, 2008, at a catch weight of 166 pounds. The bout was much more tactical as Taylor kept himself in the center of the ring and Pavlik showcased his defense and his jabbing. Taylor scored the more flashy combinations, but it was Pavlik who ultimately scored the unanimous decision.

Pavlik vs Hopkins

The 42 year old Bernard Hopkins turned back the clock when he climbed into the ring with Kelly Pavlik in October of 2008. Hopkins put on a clinic against the then undefeated champion and appeared to win every round. Leaning in with short quick punches to the head and body of Pavlik, Hopkins continued to move his legs and stay out of the reach of Pavlik’s right hand. Hopkins continued with head and body punches in the late rounds, and picked up the one-sided unanimous decision. Since the fight was fought at 170 pounds, Pavlik retained his middleweight championship despite the loss.

Pavlik vs Rubio

Kelly Pavlik stepped back into the ring for his first fight since the Hopkins debacle in February of 2009 against Marco Antonio Rubio. Pavlik dominated the fight landing a series of severe brutal combinations that temporarily rocked Rubio. At the close of the ninth round began it was evident that Rubio was in a state of defenselessness. Rubio’s corner threw in the towel that the start of the tenth round.

The future for Kelly Pavlik

With Kelly Pavlik in his prime, there are many speculations of potential fights in the mix. There are rumors of a Pavlik and Carl Froch fight. Fellow middleweight champion Arthur Abraham has also challenged Pavlik. Look to see Pavlik back in the ring towards the end of 2009.

Written by: Mike Boehm