Pavlik Back on Track With a 5th round TKO

December 20th, 2009

Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (36-1, 32 KO’s) successfully defended his title in front of an adoring hometown crowd at the Beeghly Center in Youngstown, OH by stopping the very touch challenger Miguel Espino (20-3, 9 KO’s) at 1:44 of the 5th round.

Espino surprised many observers by walking right towards Pavlik in the opening stanza and tried to fight on the inside. Both fighters traded shots throughout the round and even a little after the round as Espino was deducted a point for flagrantly hitting Pavlik after the bell.

In the 2nd round, both fighters continued to fire away at each other in close quarters. Pavlik seemingly got the better of the exchanges .and Espino was warned by referee Steve Smoger about low punches. The pace didn’t let up in the 3rd.

In the 4th round, Pavlik found his mark with a beautiful uppercut that sent Espino falling forward to a knee. He would manage to make it to his feet at the count of 9, but was soon dropped again by another uppercut. Somehow Espino survived the round while still managing to come forward throwing punches as the round progressed.

In the 5th, Espino once again charged forward at the champion. However, it was another uppercut that sent him to the canvas. Once again Espino made it to his feet and kept on fighting but shortly after his trainer John Bray got up onto the ring apron and suggested that the fight be stopped. It soon was over and Pavlik remains champion with the impressive win.

Talk after the bout quickly turned to a showdown between Pavlik and contender Paul Williams, who is described as many to be “the most feared man in boxing”. Both Pavlik and promoter Bob Arum showed no fear in urging Williams and his team to fight Pavlik in 2010 as they were suppose to earlier this month before a staph infection forced Pavlik to try to reschedule the bout. Williams and his camp opted to fight Sergio Martinez on the date of the original Pavlik date instead and Pavlik moved on to fight Espino in order to avoid being stripped of his alphabet middleweight titles following the cancellation.

William’s team have made claims they would like more money than the originally agreed to amount in wake of the postponements. Bob Arum would like to stick to the original agreement and asked that they initial the contract they already signed and make the bout happen early next year.