
Kelly Pavlik defeated Jermain Taylor tonight with a seventh-round TKO, makeing Pavlik the new middleweight champion of the world.
With the win, Pavlik, who was knocked down in the second round, improves his record to 32-0 with 28 knockouts. Taylor, having lost for the first time in his career, falls to 27-1-1.
"I just can't believe I lost," Taylor said in his locker room after the fight, and he was no doubt echoing the thoughts of many of his fans. But Pavlik put on a tremendous performance and established himself as the world's best middleweight.
At least, for now he did. There's little doubt that these two will have a rematch some time next year.


Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-30-2007 @ 12:24AM
Dan said...
Any other thoughts MDS??
Good fight, I thought. Pavlik seems like a good dude, so this could be something good for boxing. Nice to see Taylor man up afterward. Hopefully we'll get a rematch.
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9-30-2007 @ 12:53AM
MIZPHATTYGIRL said...
Man I felt the referee should have gave Jermaine the countdown instead of throwing it off like that, I am really pissed...I know that Jermaine should and could have won that fight. He had Pavlik in the 2 round, the ref should have stopped it then.
I think the ref got paid under the table to make such a stupid call. Totally upset.
UNBELIEVEABLE....Rematch. Jermaine is Still the Champ...Period
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9-30-2007 @ 12:59AM
Howie Weissman said...
I thought that Lampley made a good comment when speaking about the referee, that he usually does not stop a fight...In round 2 other refs might have stopped it, and then different ending, everything except a real knockout is subjective!!!!
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9-30-2007 @ 1:05AM
Gavin said...
Suprised no one said anything about the huge elbow that Taylor hit Pavlik with in the second round right before the knockdown. Did you see Taylor after the fight? He couldn't see out of his right eye. The way he melted to the canvas, he was finished, the ref might have saved his life by stopping it. Bring on the rematch, Pavlik will knock him out again.
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9-30-2007 @ 1:06AM
LParmee1 said...
The ref did nothing wrong. Taylor got caught with some huge punches and was knocked out. Pavlik won the middleweight championship fair and square. Period!!!!
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9-30-2007 @ 1:23AM
rus225 said...
Taylor don't no how to finish off a fighter. In the rematch he must get to kelly early, or the same thing
will happen again.
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9-30-2007 @ 1:24AM
rus225 said...
Good fight, taylor don't no how to finish a fighter.
In the rematch taylor must get too him early or the same thing will happen to him again. Kelly get stronger as the fight go into the late rounds. As for shane mosely if he can survive the fight early he might beat cotta.
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9-30-2007 @ 1:51AM
AL Lawhorn said...
Congratulation Kelly ! GREAT FIGHT!
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9-30-2007 @ 2:02AM
youngstown oh said...
THANK YOU KELLY P...YOUR FANS FROM YOUNGSTOWN....YOU PUT US ON THE MAP AGAIN...YOUR A GOOD GUY///GOD BE WITH YOU....BASISTA DUMPSTER SERVICE...YOUNGSTOWN..OHIO P.S.WIN SOME MORE...
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9-30-2007 @ 4:28AM
held_over said...
Taylor should have won? Yeah, whatever, MIZPHATTYGIRL. Typical loser fan talk: "my guy should've been given the count, the ref should have waived the fight off when it was your guy hitting the canvas."
Here's the key difference between the two knockdowns: Pavlik went down and kinda spun around, but still tried hanging on to Taylor as he went down. He popped back up, lady.
Taylor, on the other hand, slumped backwards and seemingly looked out on his feet. Still, I now wish the ref wouldn't have stepped in, only so that Taylor either would have been counted out like a chump or so that Pavlik would have beaten that loss into him.
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9-30-2007 @ 7:34AM
kathy said...
Way to go Kelly...Hometown boy makes good.....reminds of the days when BOOM BOOM was champ...you made us proud to say we live in Youngstown........
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9-30-2007 @ 7:46AM
Harm Andrews said...
Hey Kelly, Congrats on the huge win from Warren, Ohio. Listen to our song, "Steel Valley" on Myspace.com. It could be your theme song now that you are the champion of the world. Keep up the great Work.
Harm Andrews
in Harms way
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9-30-2007 @ 8:15AM
Harm Andrews said...
Damn, I forgot to give the whole address for our song "Steel Valley". You can find it at www.myspace.com/ihwrocks . Thanks so much and good luck in the future, Kelly
Harm Andrews
in Harms way
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9-30-2007 @ 8:58AM
matt said...
I've liked both Taylor and Pavlik for awhile now so this was a fight I couldn't wait to see and wouldn't care about the result. I wasn't disapointed! Both fighters gave it their all and I hope there is a rematch. Congrats Kelly and thanks for a good reign Jermain.
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9-30-2007 @ 9:18AM
hidesertnm said...
Taylor has beaten fighters who are no longer in their prime or not willing to fight 12 rounds by coming forward. Hopkins fought a hit and run fight twice and gave Taylor time to rest and fight at his pace. Pavlik come forward, took his best shots and never gave Taylor the time to coast. By the end of the 6th round you could already see Taylor looking to rest and slowing down, but Pavlik kept Taylor from fighting for 3 minutes a round. Good fight. One of the best I've seen in the in the MW class in some time.
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9-30-2007 @ 9:54AM
GERAD ACQUINO said...
KELL'S AWKWARD TO FIGHT, LONG ARMS POWER IN BOTH HAND'S, STRONG WILLED WOULDN'T BE DENIED GOOD LOOKING FIGHTER. JERMAIN STARTED TO FAST LOOKED TO TIGHT EXPENDED TO MUCH ENERGY TRYING TO FINISH KELLY GREAT REMATCH.
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9-30-2007 @ 11:20AM
dlt743 said...
Taylor was finally exposed as the paper champion that he is. He did not win the belt over Hopkins legitamately in the first fight and Winky kicked his ass. He fought a true middleweight in Pavlik and got exposed. What does Emanual Stewart have to say now? I think Taylor is a decent fighter and thats it, he is not a champion. Bottom line.....Pavlik got up and Taylor did not!
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9-30-2007 @ 1:51PM
John said...
I am from arkansas and a huge fan of Taylor and I was upset to see him lose. Pavlik showed that he is tough and did a great job. Both of these guys put on a great fight and both showed alot of class afterwards. Taylor took on everyone that came and just because the outcome wasn't as sensational as some may have wanted, doesn't make him a paper champion. I look forward to a rematch.
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9-30-2007 @ 4:14PM
Tom Harrison said...
Wow It was as Kelly said it would be. THere is no way Taylor could have gotten out of that corner. He was OUT and it was a cheap Forearm Taylor threw in the 2nd round, an intentional low blow in 4th a late hit after the 6th round bell I thought I was watching Mike Tyson again Kelly You are the greatest.
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10-01-2007 @ 12:43AM
George B Vieto said...
Kelly Pavlik is a great professional fighter who deserved to be champion. Too bad I switched my subscription to Showtime after HBO prizefights were early round knockouts or snooze fests that went the distance.
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