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Kelly Pavlik v Paul Williams: Jack Loew terminates December 5th date
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According to the Youngstown Vindicator, the Kelly Pavlik-Paul Williams fight scheduled for December 5, 2009, is off due to complications stemming from Pavlik's never ending bout with staph infection. The report quotes Pavlik trainer Jack Loew as the one making the decision to terminate the date.
Just out of curiosity, why is Loew making this call? ESPN's Dan Rafael was able to get a little more. Rafael reports that Loew has essentially been training a one-armed fighter, and Bob Arum is now speculating that the hand might have been a factor in Pavlik's loss to Bernard Hopkins. What happened to the bronchitis excuse?
Regardless, if we believe Loew, and we have no reason not to at this point, then it seems the better move might have been to have Pavlik's physician issue a press release. Better yet, the fight was scheduled to occur in Atlantic City, so why not have a physician licensed by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission tell us the bout was not doable for reasons related to Pavlik's staph condition? Certainly not a customary move, but it would have been the closest thing to a confirmation that the hand continues to be the problem.
Pavlik, once a welcomed breath of fresh boxing air, is becoming nothing more than an endless series of questions--inside the ring and out. In hindsight, how much credit do we give him now for the wins over Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor? If attempts to discredit Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on "quality of opposition" grounds are fair game, then the same must also be said of Pavlik.
The basic reality is that if Pavlik is not able to make a fist today, then there had to have been questions regarding the problem at the time he entered into the December 5th fight contract with Williams. We know the guy skips out on doctor's appointments; however, somebody with M.D. credentials has to be clearing the way. Fighters must be medically eligible--just ask Evander Holyfield. Pavlik's condition, like the alleged hole in Holyfield's heart, is best explained by medical professionals. Evander had his doctors out front and it worked. Team Pavlik needs to learn this lesson.
It will be interesting to hear Dan Goossen's take on the developing story. Certainly he can explain the assurances he received before the decision was made to lock Williams up for the last several months. The Punisher hasn't been paid since April and he needs to stop chasing ghosts. As far as Pavlik, BoxRec shows that Marco Antonio Rubio has nothing going on. The first fight was so good that we all will be lining up to buy another Top Rank pay-per-view broadcast.
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