Pavlik vs hopkins final predictions

[Exoddus]

Not too sure about this fight. I would have to go with a points win for Pavlik by a couple of rounds.

[Punchy Joe]

I'm taking Pavlik to beat Hopkins clearly, maybe even to knock the old man out. crafty old veteran or not - you've got to get old sometime and I reckon sooner or later in this fight he is going to get cracked by Pavlik's right hand.

[dr_devious]

Hopkins by clear decision, Pavlik is going to school this weekend

[dr_devious]

Hopkins by clear decision, Pavlik is going to school this weekend

[Captain Hook]

Hopkins will win based on what? His performances 5 years ago?

He'll get outworked and maybe even stopped late. I'll say Pavlik by clear points decision.

[dr_devious]

Styles make fights, Hopkins is the trickiest fighter in the sport - he damn near beat Calzaghe - Pavlik is powerful but quite crude style wise. I think Hop knew what he was doing picking this fight, and will have Pavlik's number

[chinny]

Pavlik by UD. Too young, too busy.

[chesh]

I think Hopkins might make Pavlik look foolish early, but Pavlik will do more and take the middle and later rounds, with BHop very fatigued and holding a lot towards the end. Pavlik UD: 117-111, 116-112, 116-112.

[DG.]

Hopkins wins a wide ud but dont rule out the stoppage for Hopkins! Hopkins is a genuine light heavy who starved himself to stay at middle. Pavlik is not ready for Hopkins.

[charlieb]

It wouldnt surprise me one bit if this ended early in Hopkins favour.

Hopkins doesn't have the stamina he once displayed but he certainly hasn't lost too much in terms of speed and reflex.
Pavlik might find a way to win down the stretch, could see Hopkins retiring if he's getting outworked and punches start to get through. It took all of his guile and resolve to beat guys like Echols back when he could do 12 hard rounds, Pavlik has that freakish power thrown at a relentless pace, if his efforts aren't curbed early on then he could do well down the stretch.

Who knows though. A lot of us might well be underestimating Pavlik. He might look a little one dimensional at times but beating Taylor twice and icing Miranda when he was still hot, are no mean feats by anyone's standard. I think it'll come down to how much leather Pavlik can put on Hopkins, cleanly. I dont think Hopkins has the legs to fight at an ever mounting pace against a natural puncher.

Still, Taylor had him on queer street (not the first time for Pavlik either) and if there's a point in the fight where Hopkins can repeat that kind of success, I dont think Pavlik will be let off the hook.

For me, it's a close decision either way, barring Pavlik getting caught or Hopkins gassing.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Hopkins razor thin decision. He will be able to outbox pavlik at best and at worst keep the rounds contentious.

[tony3]

Hopkins wins a wide ud but dont rule out the stoppage for Hopkins! Hopkins is a genuine light heavy who starved himself to stay at middle. Pavlik is not ready for Hopkins.

Agree entirely DG. I was astonished at the size of Hopkins back and shoulders when he weighed in against Calzaghe.

One other observation. Although Joe Calzaghe wouldn't like to admit as much, like B Hop he knows exactly how to (and does on occasion) fidddle and spoil his way through a 12 rounder should nessecity dictate. He did this against B Hop and was successful primarily because he refused to be discouraged by the arrears suffered in the first half of the fight.

Whilst it may be so that Kelly Pavlik has proven that he can overcome adversity (Taylor 1) how will he cope when all of his best assets are negated by the stronger and more savy executioner? Will he grow despondant and succumb to the will of the executioner or are there dimensions to Pavlik that we have yet to witness? For his sake, I certainly hope so.

[Wales]

Hopkins for me, Pavlik hasnt shown a plan 'B' in any fight as yet and he'll need a B C & D to beat Nard over the distance. Pavlik has handed Nard all the little advantages too hasnt he, first fight at the weight etc..
I must say its a 55-45 fight in my opinion.

[Mensa07]

Am hoping Hopkins takes him to school, but I have a feeling it'll go 12 & Pavlik will get the nod.

[forcefraser]

Pavlik to win by late ko.

He throws too many hard shots for Hopkins to avoid them all night. He faded badly against Calzaghe in the last 4 rounds and Pavlik will not stop for the full 12.

Hopkins could take Calzaghe`s slaps late on, but he will not be able to stay out of the way of all the bombs that Pavlik will throw at him.

10th or 11th round KO for me.

[Chambers2]

Pavlik UD

[doctorboxing]

I really am in two minds about this one:

I genuinely think Hopkins could stop kelly if he does it in the first 6 rounds. Kelly will be baffled by hopkins neutralising ability early on but once Hopkins tires then Kelly will take over.

Hopkins fought to stay with joe in the later rounds (with the time outs etc.) and I think Kelly could force a decision by taking the later rounds. If kelly could not KO Taylor in the second fight I cant see him being able to KO Hopkins.

I'll go for Kelly UD

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

Pavlik UD, Hopkins simply cant handle the pace of these young guns at 43

[Khaosai-Galaxy]

Hopkins by KO or wide decision

too cannee for the ghost

[Dirk Kelly]

Pavlik by KO, going to send the old man into retirement.

[Autobarn]

Hopkins must see some kind of big advantage otherwise I doubt he'd take the fight.

Most of Hopkins' recent foes have been guys who moved up in weight. Guys debuting at light heavy, looking fleshy and sluggish (Joe and Winky). Hopkins certainly gave them some problems - but he faded in the middle rds v WW and faded late badly vs Joe (incl that bit of acting after the "low blow").

Pavlik looked sluggish fighting Taylor at the middle/super middle catchweight. However, he is young, fit, powerful and big.

Hopkins has the experience, awareness and skill to befuddle Pavlik. If he manages to hurt Pavlik seriously a few times, then Hopkins will be happy. But Pavlik has fought through difficulty before. Probably, Kelly will pound out an ugly decision. He'll win, but will be made to look bad enough that many will say prime Hopkins would have beaten him.

Pavlik IS slower & more straightforward than most of Hopkins' recent foes, but hopefully the size/youth/desire/improvements made will cancel that out.

[THEBUTCH]

For boxing's sake, Pavlik. Kelly has passed every test so far, and passed it well, but Hopkins is a nightmare so you have to be cautious predicting Pavlik.

[Asterix]

Hopkins must see some kind of big advantage otherwise I doubt he'd take the fight.

I think Hopkins draws comparisons, with Pavlik, to Felix Trinidad.

[charlieb]

I personally think that the older spoiler version of Hopkins had/has a better chance of winning against Calzaghe and Pavlik than his younger, more aggressive incarnation. I think if either Calzaghe or Pavlik were to face a version of Hopkins who was more open to engaging, they'd have him outgunned.

It pisses me off when I hear people prattling on about Hopkins beating Joe had they met in their prime, I dont believe that for a second. I'm not saying Hopkins would have been KO'd or couldn't have made it close back then, but the boring counterpuncher he's become masks flaws and openings that may well have been there for fighters like Calzaghe (in particular) to exploit. To my mind, Hopkins performances against Trinidad, Tarver, Wright and Calzaghe were more effective than any of his fights in his prime, against lesser opposition.

[ALI]

Pavlik on points!

Hopkins is not going to KO Pavlik with one punch, and he does not throw heavy punches in combinations so is very unlike'ly to KO Pavlik full stop. Pavlik has a rock solid chin, he was almost stopped by Taylor, true, but it is to his credit that he was able to withstand such powerfull shots............. and i'd say Taylor hits harder than Hopkins and throws more meaningful combinations than Hopkins so again, i just cannot see Hopkins winning by KO. So, his only chance IMO is on Points.

Pavlik's very high workrate vs Hopkins very low work rate should see Pavlik come away with a points victory...... but, the wiley old Hopkins may just make him look ametuerish at times in the same way that he did to Calzaghe, we'll see!