Pavlik-Taylor fight not likely to draw thugs to Las Vegas

[clevfan]

Nov. 25, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Pavlik-Taylor fight not likely to draw thugs to Las Vegas

Rematch a year after NBA All-Star Weekend

By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL

A major sporting event is scheduled for Presidents Day weekend in Las Vegas again.

But unlike last year's NBA All-Star Weekend, which caused considerable headaches up and down the Strip, the Feb. 16, 2008, rematch between middleweights Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor doesn't have resort officials worried.

At least not the ones who run the MGM Grand.

Richard Sturm, the hotel's president of sports and entertainment and the driving force behind bringing the second fight to the Grand Garden Arena, said he doesn't anticipate the type of problems encountered during All-Star Weekend, where bands of thugs roamed the Strip, openly using drugs and walking out on restaurant bills and capped by the incident at the Minxx gentlemen's club that involved NFL star Adam "Pacman" Jones and resulted in a bouncer's paralysis after being shot.

"It never entered my mind, to be honest with you," Sturm said of last year's problems. "I don't think you can look at it the same way as the All-Star Game. I don't see the same problems for this fight."

Sturm said the first fight, which saw Taylor dominate early only to have Pavlik rally and score a seventh-round knockout to win the WBC and WBO titles Sept. 29 in Atlantic City, made it attractive for the MGM, which was looking to bring a big sporting event to town for Presidents Day weekend.

The rematch will be at 166 pounds, 6 pounds over the middleweight limit, making it a nontitle fight.

"We wanted the rematch," Sturm said. "I always check with our casino people before we book anything and see how much interest there is. They told me there would be a lot of interest, so it became an easy choice."

Sturm said he anticipates fans from both fighters to make the trip to Las Vegas.

So does Top Rank president Bob Arum, who promotes Pavlik.

"There's going to be a lot of people from Ohio (Pavlik is from Youngstown) making the trip to Vegas, if for nothing else but to get out of the snow," Arum said.

• PAVLIK HELPS CANCER VICTIM -- Pavlik lent his support to a good cause in his hometown Monday for a local teenager who is battling cancer.

Pavlik, along with former champions Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Harry Arroyo, Jeff Lampkin and Greg Richardson, as well as Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, raised money to help Dante DelSignore, a 14-year-old who has bone cancer.

Tressel said his team watched Pavlik's knockout of Taylor on Nov. 16, the night before it played Michigan, and that it inspired his players to have Pavlik in their presence.

"After that night, I knew we had a heck of a chance to beat Michigan," said Tressel, whose team won, 14-3.

• MAYWEATHER-HATTON ODDS -- Ricky Hatton is getting the early betting money for his Dec. 8 fight against world welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden.

Mayweather opened at minus-280 at the MGM Mirage properties, with Hatton at plus-240. On Saturday, Mayweather was at minus-270, with Hatton at plus-230.

At the Stations Casinos, Mayweather opened minus-330 and is currently minus-300. Hatton opened at plus-250 and is currently plus-220.

• HARD ROCK CARD -- Top Rank will have a special holiday fight card at The Joint at the Hard Rock on Dec. 20.

Highlighting the card will be Josh Clottey, who will take on Shamone Alvarez in a 12-round IBF welterweight elimination bout.

Also scheduled to appear is heavyweight Tye Fields, who will be in a 10-round bout against a yet-to-be determined opponent.

The card will be televised by the Versus Network (Cox Cable 67).

[Mr Falcone]

Cant wait for this one. Thin king Pavlik the fav this time around

[WrongSideWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mr Falcone

Cant wait for this one. Thin king Pavlik the fav this time around

I think Taylor wins the rematch. I think another camp with Steward will do wonders...

[Mr Falcone]

The kid can bang right WSW?

[WrongSideWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mr Falcone

The kid can bang right WSW?

Kelly Pavlik is the real deal. Guy hits like a ton of bricks and has the heart to match. I just think Taylor is going to look much different in this fight. Taylor was ahead on all 3 judges scorecards when he was knocked out in the 7th rd. Hardest thing for Taylor is going to be getting over being flat footed. If anyone can break him though it is Steward. Can't wait for this one.

~ time: 2:14 | referee: Steve Smoger | judge: Julie Lederman 59-54 | judge: Guido Cavalleri 58-55 | judge: John Stewart 58-55 ~
~ WBC middleweight title ~
~ WBO middleweight title ~
Pavlik was down in 2nd round, Taylor in seventh

[Mr Falcone]

Yeah it should be a good one.......

Heres a great one from the past

YouTube - Foreman vs. Lyle

[WrongSideWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mr Falcone

Yeah it should be a good one.......

Heres a great one from the past

YouTube - Foreman vs. Lyle

That was a great one...

I just watched the Ali/Foreman "When We Were Kings" DVD again yesterday and the strength Foreman had was amazing. Had to replace bags after 45 minutes of him hitting them because they were dented. Some crazy shit right there...

Who's your all time favs Falcone?

[Mr Falcone]

Huge fan of Foreman for sure. Ali, Larry Holmes.......Love the era of Hearns, Hagler, Duran, Sugar Ray

Still laugh my ass off ever time I remember the Holmes comments on HBO after he lost to Spinks.

Tell the guy after he asks he about the outcome

The judges can kiss me where the sun dont shine, and since we on HBO thats my big black behind

LMAO

[Mr Falcone]

Tommy Hearns, if only he had legs and a chin..LOL.But man I love watching him work

[WrongSideWarrior]

I think Larry Holmes along with Riddick Bowe are two of the most underrated boxers of all time....

Holmes makes me laugh everytime he does a guest spot on TV. Only guy in sports who can crack me up like he does is Deacon Jones...

Hearns, Hagler, Duran, and Leonard were quite the group... Hearns is prolly my fav out of the group. Guy hit like a brickhouse. Those four combined for some of the best fights I have ever seen...

Have you gotten in to the UFC yet Falcone? Some good stuff over there if you catch the right show. Has tailed off a bit since Pride in Japan folded but the UFC does have there real good shows...

Try checking out the UFC on December 29th. A couple of real big fights there and some fights with bettable odds on the main card.

[Mr Falcone]

I never missed it in the begining years. For one reason or another though, havnt caught much of it the last year or so.

Will say the kid and I were back in the states a couple of years ago for a bit, casue Mom was sick, and remember him and I watched the Marathon on Spike of that 1st season. What a day we had watching that whole thing. Had to miss a few episodes that day casue he had a Indoor Soccer game in Dekalb at Northen Ill U, but got in time for the final WOW.

Love those memories of those with the kid. It was just a greatt day we had watching that, ordering food in, he won his game scored a couple. Great day it was

Best of luck........

Ill add that him being from here he lives for soccer, so the year and a half back there was a challenge for him becasue of the lack of. Got him into that Indoor league, he was a year under the age required, but got him in and he led the league in scoring....

[WrongSideWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mr Falcone

I never missed it in the begining years. For one reason or another though, havnt caught much of it the last year or so.

Will say the kid and I were back in the states a couple of years ago for a bit, casue Mom was sick, and remember him and I watched the Marathon on Spike of that 1st season. What a day we had watching that whole thing. Had to miss a few episodes that day casue he had a Indoor Soccer game in Dekalb at Northen Ill U, but got in time for the final WOW.

Love those memories of those with the kid. It was just a greatt day we had watching that, ordering food in, he won his game scored a couple. Great day it was

Best of luck........

Ill add that him being from here he lives for soccer, so the year and a half back there was a challenge for him becasue of the lack of. Got him into that Indoor league, he was a year under the age required, but got him in and he led the league in scoring....

Must have been an interesting transition for him. Funny to hear a kid say they like soccer out here in the States becuase it is just a such a secondary sport if that in the 18-35 demographic...

I'll give you a yell closer to fight time with that UFC I was speaking of. Going to be a great show. I have a couple of spots on there I like too so lets hope the openers are where I think they may be...

[Mr Falcone]

And a good chance Ill try to get in touch with ya in the summer, casue I am gonna make the trip to LA, for his camp at UCLA this coming summer.

Most likely get him set up there to finish High School in Cali , and get him prepared for a College. 3 of his siblings there, so thinking it will be good for him.......

[WrongSideWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mr Falcone

And a good chance Ill try to get in touch with ya in the summer, casue I am gonna make the trip to LA, for his camp at UCLA this coming summer.

Most likely get him set up there to finish High School in Cali , and get him prepared for a College. 3 of his siblings there, so thinking it will be good for him.......

Definitely give me a yell when your out this way. UCLA camp will be great for him. Westwood is a nice area. I have had a few buddies who went to school there and they loved it...

California as a whole is not a bad place to live. Got your wannabe little gang members and shit like that everywhere but if you live in the right area you dont have any problems. Just keep the kid out of USC. Great sports and academics but what a shit hole of an area. Literally in the middle of South Central LA.

Weather has been amazing this year. Besides the fires it has really been a great year.