by Vivek Wallace – This weeks ‘Call Em Out Fridays’ segment shines the spotlight on a familiar name with a somewhat unfamiliar face…..or, atleast recently. It wasn’t always that way, but after climbing through the trenches and establishing himself along the higher echelon of the sport, suddenly, the Youngstown native gave many a new found reason to call him ‘Ghost’. The journey of Kelly Pavlik has been a very remarkable one that saw him elevate his status rather quickly. Perhaps even too quickly, depending on who you ask. Almost 3 years ago, I can remember saying to a colleague that despite his wiry frame, I could see this powerful puncher [Pavlik] developing into a force, en route to a spot atop the middleweight ranks, and one day headlining a card in a showdown that I would have personally dubbed “A tale of the ‘Ghost’ and the ‘Executioner'”. At the time, it seemed to be a wildcard, but intuitively, there was no question such a fight would materialize. Fast forward a few years, and after several amazing performances, including a total destruction of the man, (Jermain Taylor), who beat the man, (Bernard Hopkins), the young Pavlik found himself in the ring with that same individual, and many of his critics feel he hasn’t been the same ever since..
The truth of the matter is that it’s still a bit early to say, but a string of moves in and out of the ring have apparently taken something away from the sparkle of Pavlik while the questions continue to mount up. The sport of boxing teaches us more so than probably any other sport that regardless of ones greatness, inconsistency can often be insurmountable. When we examine Kelly Pavlik and take a closer look, it’s hard to really assess where he now stands. On one hand, you look at past video footage and see the total destruction of men like the powerful Edison Miranda, and the talented Jermain Taylor. Then you look at the Hopkins debacle, the return against Rubio, and the subsequent aftermath, and suddenly, the ground which he stands on simply doesn’t feel as stable. This sudden fall from grace didn’t catch Pavlik alone, as a deeper reflection on the Top Rank stables in general remind us precisely how quick the jinx factor can strike. Few have taken notice, but in a matter of months, the walls of Top Rank Promotions have somewhat crumbled. Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto was humbled so severely twice that he now eyes an official retirement from the sport no later than winter of 2010, possibly as early as the summer. The man who initially punched his (Cotto) ticket away from boxing, (Antonio Margarito), still has no official word on his path to get back in himself. A trip across the border produces a young Chavez jr. who has failed to inspire, and subsequently a drug test, too. I guess this leaves us one more reason to be grateful for Manny Pacquiao, because as it stands, he’s not only the captain of Top Rank, but he indeed navigates the ship.
In an odd way, that may be a saving grace for Pavlik. Always known for his pride, it’s hard to believe that his better days have totally slipped away. When Manny Pacquiao performed to perfection, like the rest of us, he watched. When Mayweather returned after a two year hiatus and showed an amazing skill level, he watched. When the man many of us wanted to see him face (Paul Williams) hammered out a gutsy performance a few weeks ago…..yes, you can believe, he watched. So, after all of that watching, one can only reach the conclusion that he is indeed ready once again to perform. And not only perform, but perform at the highest level. When you think back to the early days of Pavlik, somewhere, somehow, you have to believe there lies a sequel to this act. Every champion has heart, and the heart of every champion nows how to restart. Motivation is the ignition, and the key to success for Pavlik goes back to the creed he once lived by…’No Fear’. They say short term memory is a sign of health issues, but for a man who’s seen his fair share lately, perhaps a forgetful spell isn’t such a bad thing. The only way Pavlik ever sees the top of the pack again is by forgetting the humbling defeat he suffered……Forgetting the illnesses and alcoholism that allegedly consumed his time away…..and remembering a time not too long ago when he was king of the hill. Let him tell it, that time never left….but reality has shown us a glimpse of something otherwise. As Pavlik returns to the ring Saturday night, he does so knowing full well that once again, he holds the pen of life. It’s his journal to write, but he must do so knowing that there are no erasers in error. Mistakes of the past were removed from the present (opportunity); yet mistakes in the present can quickly place him back in our past. For now, he’s back at the table. What he writes in this next test will tell us how long he remains in the class. Stay tuned.
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, 954-292-7346, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEK747), Facebook and Myspace).