Jermain Taylor Vs Kelly Pavlik II

Jermain Taylor Vs Kelly Pavlik II

Kelly Pavlik Vs. Jermain Taylor - February 16, 2008

This is a rematch of Kelly Pavlik's scintillating win over Jermain Taylor where he violently ripped the title off off of Taylor's head. This fight will be at a heavier catch weight. Will Taylor get the revenge he so badly covets or will Pavlik turn him back for a second time.

Taylor (27-1-1, 17 knockouts) said he's willing to do whatever it takes to avenge his loss, a seventh-round knockout to Kelly Pavlik in September. Taylor would not regain his lost world middleweight title when he and Pavlik meet Feb. 16 at the MGM Grand Garden because the title isn't on the line.

But if he wins, Taylor says he'll regain his self-respect as a fighter.

Taylor insists he won't let that happen again. He fired Emanuel Steward, who trained him for the first Pavlik fight and brought back Nelson, who had started working with Taylor when Taylor was 13 years old. Taylor had criticized Steward for not giving him enough sparring ahead of the Pavlik defeat, and now the former undisputed champion will going into training camp with Nelson in Las Vegas.

Nelson said he could tell immediately what was wrong with Taylor that night in Atlantic City when he had Pavlik down and nearly out in the second round but failed to put him away.

Taylor has stepped up his workout regimen for the rematch. He said he's running five miles a day, six days a week. He's putting in the equivalent of 14 rounds in the gym each day. Nelson has him sparring more. He has Taylor hitting the heavy bag more, trying to build his upper-body strength and endurance.

Pavlik (32-0, 29 KOs), from Youngstown, Ohio, joins former lightweight champions Harry Arroyo and Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini as hometown world champions. He returns to the ring after a "Fighter of the Year" performance, knocking out Jose Luis Zertuche (19-3-2, 14 KOs) and Edison Miranda (28-1, 24 KOs), in world title elimination bouts, earning him the right to become Taylor's mandatory challenger. All told, Pavlik Ghost wrote a career year against three of the best, who boasted a combined record of 74-4-3 (55 KOs) when he faced them. Pavlik's stoppage of Taylor extended his two-year victory by knockout streak to nine bouts.

The 12-round fight, to be televised by HBO Pay Per View, is at the catch weight of 166 pounds. Taylor said he weighed 170 pounds Wednesday and that making weight will be easy, because he has plenty of incentive from the loss.

Kelly Pavlik defeats Jermain Taylor

Kelly Pavlik defeated Jermain Taylor for the second time in five months on Saturday night, with a unanimous decision in a 12-round 'catch-weight' bout at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

Pavlik could now be in line to meet the winner of Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins after the pair have clashed on April 19. Calzaghe’s promoter Frank Warren, and Home Box Office are keen to match the pair.

Pavlik, 25, now unbeaten in 33 professional contests, was contractually obliged to afford Taylor a re-match after flooring the former undisputed middleweight champion on September 29, in Atlantic City, when he captured the WBC and WBO middleweight titles.

Boxing Betting Information:

Boxing Specials: Specials Boxing Sportsbook Bonuses

Boxing Odds: Live Boxing Odds for Boxing Betting

Sports Betting Help: How to Bet on Boxing

Sportsbook Rules: The Sports Betting Rules

Sports Betting Deposits: View Boxing Deposit Options

Be sure to get your Boxing Bets down early at Bookmaker Sportsbook, because the PGA Golf season is here

Sign up now for your free account, it's as easy as 1-2-3.

• 1. Click on the Join now icon , fill out the registration form to get your user id.
• 2. Log into your account, enter the cashier to make a deposit.
• 3. Place your bets and start winning. It's that easy.