Trainer Jack Leow Confident Kelly Pavlik Can Stop Hopkins, Says He’ll Target B-Hop’s Body

by James Slater – Today, speaking exclusively with Setanta Sports via a phone line from Atlantic City, Kelly Pavlik’s trainer Jack Leow gave away a few things with regards to the tactics Kelly will adapt on Saturday night against 43-year-old Bernard Hopkins. First of all, Leow was asked how Kelly is looking right now, just two days ahead of the big fight..

“Oh, he looks great right now,” Leow said. “We finished up [training] last week at home, we’re in Atlantic City now, and he’s 120-percent ready. Kelly feels good, with the extra weight we haven’t had to put a sauna suit on in eight weeks, and we’re ready to go Saturday night”

One thing Leow made clear was the fact that “The Ghost” will be targeting Hopkins’ body. Noting how other fighters, when meeting Hopkins, have made the mistake of targeting the Philly legend’s head – unsuccessfully – Leow said Pavlik will not be making that mistake at all.

“Everybody chases Hopkins’ head, and if they miss to the head he just spins out to the middle of the ring and tries to make you look stupid,” the trainer continued. “We’re not gonna chase that head all night, we’re gonna bust up that old man’s body.”

It seems Team Pavlik has done their homework and have a game-plan. But of course, fighting Bernard Hopkins is never quite as easy as it perhaps appears to be from outside the ropes. Joe Calzaghe, for one, found out how frustrating it can be boxing “The Executioner.” Leow was asked if Kelly is looking to do a better job against Hopkins than the Welshman did and that if he does will this help make a Pavlik-Calzaghe fight a real possibility for next year.

“Without a doubt,” Leow answered. “And I really believe Kelly can stop Bernard Hopkins, I really do believe that. But Joe has to worry about getting by Roy Jones. We’re not really thinking about Joe Calzaghe right now. But in the back of my head, I do hope he gets by Roy Jones and beats him decisively and I hope that we destroy Hopkins, because that will make a mega-fight between Kelly and Joe. We would obviously relish the opportunity to fight Joe Calzaghe.”

Fight fans the world over would relish the opportunity to see this genuine super-fight. Fingers crossed then, that both men win their upcoming bouts. Leow did state that Kelly plans on going back down to 160-pounds after taking care of Hopkins, however.

“We’re definitely going back down to middleweight after this fight [Vs. Hopkins],” Loew stated. “There was nothing else out there for us at middleweight, we wanted a big name and we’re fighting Hopkins. Arthur Abraham has a mandatory and Felix Strum wants nothing to do with us.”

It seems Kelly will be defending his middleweight title more than just the one time then. A Pavlik-Abraham showdown would be some great match-up also!