The
sad decline of former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik took another turn for
the worse as he was arrested on DUI charges according to this story, wfmj.com/-pavlik-arrested.
The plan for Pavlik around this time was to rebuild his career in Oxnard,
California, away from the familiar surroundings of his hometown of Youngstown,
Ohio, which have proven to be so troublesome. But
you got the uneasy sense that he would never make it out west.
It
seems that “The Ghost” can't (or is unwilling to) run from his own personal
demons.
Was
it really that long ago when Pavlik was on top of the world, considered one of
this business’ saviors after stopping Jermain Taylor in dramatic fashion (in
September of 2007), as he got off the canvas to win the middleweight title? Was
it really that long ago when he was packing them in at the Convention Center in
Atlantic City like Arturo Gatti once did with his large throng of fans that
bused over from Ohio in droves? Was it really that long ago when Pavlik’s star
shined so bright that franchises from the NBA and Major League Baseball invited
him out to their games as a special guest? Was it really that long ago when he
was going to drive the boxing business in this region the way the other favored
son of Youngstown, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, once did?
No,
it only seems that way.
The
young man who Bob Arum once spoke of as the spearhead that would return boxing
to the likes of CBS is now just another sad story in a sport full of them. Things
seemed to have reached a nadir this past summer when Pavlik abruptly pulled out
from a hometown tune-up bout versus Daryl Cunningham (which was supposed to be
a prelude to a bout with Lucian Bute). Yet Top Rank, even after all this, was
willing to finance its own version of a boxing 12-step program by facilitating
a move out to California (where Pavlik would train with Robert Garcia) and help
pave a brand new beginning to his career and life.
It's
not clear if that offer still stands. Top Rank and the boxing industry will
march forward with or without Pavlik. It seems boxing can survive without him
just fine. The question is, does he even want to box? At this point, should
that even be a focus? What is clear is that the help Pavlik needs goes far
beyond rehabilitating his boxing career. He's never seemed to really understand
how deep-rooted his problems were and the need to treat his illness at the
core. Perhaps now he does. Maybe now that Pavlik has hit another low, the
realization that he needs help will sink in.
Sadly,
maybe it won't. Maybe this isn't even rock bottom.
Right
now, Pavlik's descent is very symbolic of the rust-belt region he once so
proudly represented.
BUZZKILL
Now
the question is, what are Golden Boy's contingency plans for this “Boxing After
Dark” show in Houston?
FRIDAY
FLURRIES
As
it stands now, the plan is for the bout between “Runnin’” Rico Ramos and
Guillermo Rigondeaux for the WBA bantamweight title to headline the January 20th edition of “ShoBox,” which could be paired with the middleweight bout between
Brandon Gonzalez and Caleb Truax...One name being thrown around as the “TBA” to
face Gary Russell Jr. on February 11th on Showtime is Bernabe
Concepcion...John Chavez of “The Boxing Truth” had an interesting commentary on
Andre Ward and his standing in the hierarchy of the sport: boxingtruth.com/article.php?id=2032… I think it's clear that while Ward is very accomplished as a young
professional, there's a lot of work to be done in terms of building his
brand...So is Victor Ortiz dating Vanessa Bryant or not? And is that a
sucker-punch to Kobe?...Here's the latest edition of Maxboxing Radio with Corey
Erdman and me: blogtalkradio.com/maxboxingradio/2011/12/22/... I
think it's clear that with Matt Barkley's return, USC has a top-five team next
season...I don't know how good the Clippers will be but this much is for sure,
they will be fun to watch...
More of Steve's recent work below his contact info...
