PREFIGHT
Official weights of both fighters on the night of the fight: Pavlik is 169 and Taylor is 171. Jermain Taylor comes out first to the sounds of One Republic..."It's too late to apologize...it's too laaaaaaate". Taylor looks focused and confident...looks like those bad intentions have returned. Pavlik enters next. He also looks focused and confident. Michael Buffer announces the fighters. "LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEE!" Quite a few boos for Taylor as he's introduced. A LOUD chorus of cheers as they announce Pavlik. A mean staredown at the center of the ring.
ROUND 1
Taylor comes out firing his jab. Pavlik lands a right hand down the middle. Chants of "Kelly, Kelly, Kelly" already. Taylor lands a left hook. Pavlik lands a stiff jab. They trade jabs. They trade jabs again. Taylor lands a couple more jabs. Uppercut lands for Taylor. Right hand down the middle lands for Pavlik. Three jabs in a row land for Taylor. Taylor looks sharp. Another jab lands for Taylor. Pavlik lands a jab and a HARD left hook to the body. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs. WOOOOOOO....HARD right hand by Pavlik wobbles Taylor. Two left hooks land for Pavlik. Taylor lands a left hook of his own. HARD right hand lands for Pavlik. They trade on the inside. Wow. Very close round. Very close. I give it Pavlik for landing the more telling shots.
Pavlik 10 Taylor 9
ROUND 2
STIFF jab lands for Pavlik. 1-2 down the pipe lands for Pavlik. Taylor looks tentative. HARD right hand lands for Pavlik. Jab lands for Pavlik...and another. Now Taylor lands a jab. HARD right hand lands for Taylor. Pavlik walking him down and lands a 1-2. They trade jabs. 1-2 from Taylor is blocked by Pavlik. Uppercut lands for Pavlik. Taylor backing up a lot. Three-punch combo from Taylor is blocked. Pavlik lands a jab and a right to the body. Taylor backing up. Pavlik pressing forward. HARD right hand lands for Taylor. Jab lands for Pavlik. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a right hook. Taylor lands a right to end the round. Round to Pavlik.
Pavlik 20 Taylor 18
ROUND 3
Jab to the body lands for Taylor. Pavlik digs a left to the body. They trade jabs. Pavlik lands a 1-2. Jab lands for Pavlik. Another jab lands for Pavlik. Another jab from Pavlik finds it's mark. Right hand lands for Pavlik and Taylor just covers up and retreats. Taylor lands a jab. Pavlik doubling up on his jab. 1-2 from Taylor is blocked. Taylor lands a looping right hand. Pavlik digs a 1-2 to the body. HARD right hand lands for Taylor. Two jabs land for Pavlik. They trade jabs. Taylor digs a left hook to the body. Pavlik lands a right hand on the inside. Taylor lands a 1-2. Left hook to the body lands for Taylor. Taylor's landing one or two nice punches, but he's getting outjabbed in there. Round to Taylor.
Pavlik 29 Taylor 28
ROUND 4
They trade jabs to start the round. Pavlik blasts through Taylor's guard with a jab. Taylor digs a left to the body. Left hook upstairs lands for Taylor. Pavlik lands a right. Right to the body lands for Pavlik. Jab lands for Pavlik. Two more jabs land for Pavlik. 1-2 lands for Taylor. Pavlik keeps the jab in Taylor's face and lands a 1-2 to the body. STIFF jab from Pavlik lands...another. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Right hand lands for Pavlik. HARD right hand lands for Taylor. Left hook lands for Taylor. Pavlik lands a right down the middle. Left hook to the body lands for Pavlik. Two HARD right hands land for Pavlik...and another. Round to Pavlik.
Pavlik 39 Taylor 37
ROUND 5
1-2 lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs again. And again. HARD 1-2 lands down the middle for Pavlik. Uppercut from Pavlik blasts through Taylor's guard. Taylor lands a 1-2. They trade jabs. Right hook to the body lands for Pavlik. Pavlik lands a right hand that busts Taylor's nose open. Left hook lands for Pavlik. Jab lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a couple of stiff jabs of his own. Pavlik digs a 1-2 to the body. Taylor lands a 1-2 usptairs. Hard left hook by Taylor lands and then he eats a right to end the round. Round to Pavlik, who's outworking Taylor with his jab.
Pavlik 49 Taylor 46
ROUND 6
Pavlik continues to press forward behind his jab. Right hook to the body and a left hand upstairs lands for Pavlik. Taylor not throwing much back right now. Jab lands for Pavlik. 1-2 on the inside lands for Pavlik. Taylor digs a 1-2 to the body. Left hook lands upstairs for Pavlik. Piston jab from Pavlik keeps Taylor confused. 1-2 lands for Pavlik...another 1-2. Taylor does nothing. Now he lands a right hand that has the crowd oohing and awwing, but he's getting outworked. Nice left hook to the body lands for Taylor. Jab from Pavlik. 1-2 from Taylor. Right hand over the top lands for Pavlik and Taylor holds on. Taylor lands a left, then he eats a right from Pavlik. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Tayor backs up. Round to Pavlik.
Pavlik 59 Taylor 55
ROUND 7
They trade jabs. Pavlik lands a 1-2. Another 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a jab. They trade jabs. Taylor lands a couple of jabs. STIFF jab from TAylor snaps the head back of Pavlik. They trade jabs. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Right hand down the pipe lands for Pavlik. Uppercut lands for Pavlik. Nice three-punch combo to the body lands for Taylor. Pavlik lands a jab. Pavlik lands a 1-2. Taylor lands a jab. Pavlik lands a 1-2. Taylor flurries to the body to end the round. Round to Taylor.
Pavlik 68 Taylor 65
ROUND 8
Pavlik presses forward behind the jab. Taylor lands a stiff jab. Jab lands for Pavlik. Another jab. They clinch. Left hook lands for Taylor. Pavlik lands a 1-2. Taylor holds on. Pavlik digs a right to the body. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Another 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Taylor not throwing anything. Jab lands for Pavlik. Taylor looking a little tired in there. Jab from Pavlik...right hand from Pavlik. Taylor lands a 1-2. Right hand lands for Pavlik. Jab lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a jab. They trade jabs. Pavlik digs a right to the body and Taylor holds on. They trad STIFF jabs. Pavlik lands a right. Taylor lands a right of his own. Pavlik works him on the inside. Round to Pavlik, who continues to outwork Taylor.
Pavlik 78 Taylor 74
ROUND 9
1-2 lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a jab. Pavlik lands an uppercut and a left hook. Taylor backs up. Pavlik lands a 1-2 and Taylor holds on. Right hook from Pavlik lands upstairs. Taylor lands a jab. Three-punch combo lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs. HARD right hand lands for Taylor. Pavlik lands a 1-2. They trade left hooks. Taylor lands a left hook. Pavlik lands a right. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Another 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Taylor backs up. Right hand lands for Pavlik. Jab lands for Pavlik. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Taylor digs a 1-2 to the body and holds on. They trade jabs. Round to Pavlik.
Pavlik 88 Taylor 83
ROUND 10
They trade jabs to start the round. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs. Right hook to the body lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a right to the body. HARD left hook lands for Pavlik upstairs. Pavlik continues to press forward behind the jab. Jab lands for Pavlik....Taylor does nothing. right hand lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs. Taylor lands a HARD right hand followed by a left hook. Pavlik lands a short right. Uppercut lands for Taylor. They trade jabs. Taylor lands two left hooks. Pavlik digs a 1-2 to the body. Close round. I give it to Taylor for landing the flashier combos.
Pavlik 97 Taylor 93
ROUND 11
1-2 to the body lands for Pavlik. Taylor lands a jab. HARD right hook to the body lands for Pavlik and Taylor holds on. Two HARD left hooks to the body land for Taylor. Pavlik lands a left hook downstairs. 1-2 to the body lands for Pavlik. Uppercut lands for Taylor. Taylor lands a very low blow. Pavlik digs a right to the body. Taylor digs a 1-2 to the body. Pavlik lands a right hand. Right hand down the pipe lands for Pavlik. Taylor digs a left hook to the body. Pavlik lands a right over the top. Slashing left hook lands for Taylor. HARD rigt hook lands for Pavlik....HARD right hand to the body lands for Pavlik and Taylor holds on. Round to Pavlik.
Pavlik 107 Taylor 102
ROUND 12
The crowd is on their feet. Pavlik digs a right hand to the body and Taylor holds on. Jab lands for Taylor. HARD right hand lands for Taylor, but then he eats two right hands from Pavlik. Right to the body lands for Pavlik. HARD left hook to the body lands for Pavlik. Taylor holds on. Pavlik walks him down behind the jab. Three punches in a row land for Pavlik. Taylor holds on. They trade jabs. 1-2 to the body lands for Pavlik. They trade jabs. STIFF jab lands for Pavlik. Taylor holds on. Taylor digs a 1-2 to the body. Jab lands for Pavlik. 1-2 lands for Pavlik. Right hand to the body lands for Pavlik and Taylor holds on. HARD body shot lands for Taylor. They trade jabs. Pavlik works him on the inside to end the round. Round to Pavlik.
Pavlik 117 Taylor 111
Haorld Lederman scores it 115-113 for Kelly Pavlik
Official judges scorecards...
Patricia Jarman: 115-113
Dave Moretti: 117-111
Glenn Trowbridge: 116-112
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...AND STILL UNDEFEATED...KELLY PAVLIK
COMPUBOX
Pavlik total punches: 267/845
Taylor total punches: 178/456
Pavlik total jabs: 144/484
Taylor total jabs: 102/292
Pavlik power punches: 123/361
Taylor power punches: 76/164
POSTFIGHT
"I thought we both fought a great fight," stated undisputed middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. "Whoever Top Rank throws at me," he continued when discussing future opponents. Former champion Jermain Taylor stated, "I thought I was doing pretty good...I thought I won it." He continued, "He's a strong fighter. I give him all the glory."
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