KELLY PAVLIK-ALLAN GREEN: IS THERE A MORE EXCITING FIGHT THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION CAN GIVE US?

"Whoever I fight next goes to the hospital, and I hope it's Kelly Pavlik in that ambulance!"

The cancellations and postponements of many marquee fights has made 2009 a let down for boxing fans. One of the many disappointments has been the injuries leading to the lack of activity from middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. Pavlik’s devastating stoppage victory over then undefeated Jermain Taylor immediately made himone of the most exciting fighters in the game. Now that he has recovered and is looking for an opponent for his next fight, one can only hope that he selects someone who will prove to be a competitive foe and bring the fireworks that fans are craving. Of all the fighters out there from 154-168 who Pavlik is currerntly considering, his best option might just be top 10 super middleweight contender Allan Green.

The fight that fans have been calling for is Kelly Pavlik vs Arthur Abraham. But now that Abraham is participating in the Super Six tournament for the next 18 months, that fight is no longer an option until 2011. Pavlik’s next best option at middleweight might be Felix Sturm, but the chances of sending Pavlik to Germany or bringing Sturm to the United States are slim to none. Without Abraham and Sturm, Pavlik is without any intriguing fights at middleweight.

Before Pavlik was side-lined due to the injury, he had a fight scheduled with former junior middleweight champion Sergio Mora. But as big of a puncher as Pavlik is at middleweight, the idea of watching him man-handle a crafty junior middleweight is very unappealing. Therefore, a fight with Allan Green would prove to be the most exciting fight for the champion from Youngstown . Boxing is often referred to as the theater of the unexpected and punchers bring the unexpected excitement that boxing fans crave, thus making Pavlik-Green a can't miss fight.

The talks of Pavlik-Green first began last year, but Pavlik instead elected to face Bernard Hopkins. But Pavlik-Green is once again in discussion and Allan Green has made it abundantly clear that wants nothing more than the opportunity to become the first fighter to knock Kelly Pavlik out. The hard hitting super middleweight told Boxingtalk, "It's pretty simple, whoever I fight next goes to the hospital and I hope it's Kelly Pavlik in the ambulance, because I know what destroying him does for my career. I wanted the fight last year and I want the fight now. Pavlik doesn't see the fifth round."

With the Super Six tournament taking place and with Bute/Andrade II coming up this fall, a Pavlik/Green fight makes perfect sense and it could prove to be one of the most explosive and fan friendly fights the middleweight divisions has seen in recent times. One might have to look back to 1985 to recall the last time HBO aired a fight where two punchers on this level shared the same ring.

"The first thing that comes to mind is Hagler-Hearns, except I don't think fight would be as competitive and Kelly is of the caucasian persuasion."

Green, who missed out on a fight with Jermain Taylor earlier this year, has a burning desire to rise to the top of the game. This journey to stardom has been an exercise in patience, as he articulated over the phone that, "The politics of boxing have been making me take the hard road from day one and this year has been no different.”

Despite how unappealing a match-up between Pavlik against any junior middleweight other than Paul Williams would prove to be, Boxingtalk understands that Team Pavlik is strongly considering giving crafty WBC junior middleweight champion Sergio Martinez a shot at the middleweight championship of the world. Considering that Martinez recently battled to a draw against fellow junior middleweight Kermit Cintron, it’s hard to imagine that this fight would be favored over a barnburner like Pavlik-Green.

"I'm ready to make the fight at 165 pounds and my promoter would give Arum and them options, so what's the problem? I sign on the dotted line today. I been thinking about it and I don't understand why they (Top Rank) would want to match him against a slick 154 pounder for the the titles, when he could move up 5 pounds, get put to sleep and go back down to 160 with his belts. After I knock him out Arum still has the middleweight champion and a piece of me moving forward, so what's the problem?"

Full Interview with Green to follow.

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