28.05.08 – by James Slater: Speaking on Cleveland.com today, former lightweight world champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini gave his prediction for his good friend Kelly Pavlik’s upcoming middleweight world title defence against Welshman Gary Lockett..
“To Me, Kelly knocks him out in five or six rounds,” Mancini said. “He’s [Lockett] the perfect opponent. He’s a short guy, throws shots and jumps back. But he’s fighting for his country [of Wales] and everyone wants to beat the ugly American. I know what Kelly is up against. Everyone has expectations and it’s hard to stay hungry when the belly is full. Kelly is fighting for himself and the city. He’s going to fulfil his potential.”
Mancini is, of course, from the same city as Pavlik, in Youngstown, and the former world champ has been watching “The Ghost” as he gets ready for his June 7th title fight defence. Working out at The Southside Boxing Club in Youngstown, the unbeaten Pavlik is training hard for huge underdog Lockett.
Mancini, along with being a friend of Pavlik’s also works as a commentator and he has called a number of the middleweight king’s big fights. So, will Pavlik remain champ and continue making Youngstown proud, as “Boom Boom” did himself back in the 1980s?
Lockett, 30-1(21) has a lot of things against him going into June 7th’s fight. The facts are undeniable; the 31-year-old has never boxed in the U.S before, he has never fought anyone anywhere near as good as Pavlik before and he has never taken a punch from a man as powerful as Pavlik before. These are just three examples of why the Welshman is the betting underdog he is. Having said all that, the 26-year-old defending middleweight champ would be foolish to show Locket no respect when he gets in there with him at The Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Locket can bang a bit himself, and he’s both hungry and upset that so many people are completely writing him off. This could make him dangerous.
A level headed person, I don’t expect Pavlik to cut any corners in his preparations for his next fight, nor do I think he will treat Lockett as a foe he has absolutely nothing to be worried about when bell one rings. Kelly is too smart for that, and he knows he has worked too hard to risk losing his title due to being arrogant or complacent.
Something tells me Lockett just might have a couple of good moments in the early rounds – Lockett has spoken about how Pavlik comes in in straight lines and that he will capitalise on this – before “The Ghost’s” chilling power gets him out of there. I think Mancini is about right when he says Kelly will win in around five or six rounds.