The last time Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik was fought three times in one year, he was the World WBC and WBO Middleweight Champion.
A couple years removed of losing both titles to Sergio Gabriel Martinez on April 17, 2010, Pavlik wants to get back in boxing's upper echelon - this time as a super middleweight.
Youngstown native Pavlik (39-2, 34 KOs) has paved his way back and will fight Queens N.Y.'s Will "Power" Rosinsky (16-1, 9 KOs) July 7 on HBO Boxing After Dark at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
He's coming off of a seventh-round TKO against Scott "Cujo" Sigmon June 8 in Las Vegas.
"Because I was give a golden opportunity - to be on HBO again," Pavlik said of deciding to fight so soon during Thursday's conference call. "You've got to make that move for my career. HBO, the major network, I make it to that next level it's a step I have to take. It's on short notice only because I fought two weeks ago."
Pavlik was happy with his performance against Sigmon, coming off of a second-round TKO against Aaron Jaco on March 31 in San Antonio, Texas.
"My body punches were right on and the right hands, heck, I even turned southpaw in that fight and landed a few straight left hands," Pavlik said. "The timing is there. The rust is off. The rust was off after the (Aaron) Jaco fight because of all the rounds I was sparring. Back home I never sparred that many rounds in my life. I am in there with top-notch guys so I have to be on top of my game and the sharpness has to be there."
Right now, things are going well, Pavlik's trainer Robert Garcia said.
"Kelly has been doing everything that he has been told to do," Garcia said. "He took a week off after his last fight then came back into the gym to prepare for this fight. He just kept going and nothing has changed. His power is there. Fighting at 168 is a lot easier for him to make weight. After that week off he weighed 172 so he only needed to take off four pounds. He's in great spirits and coming back to win another title."
But first, Pavlik has to face Rosinsky.
"I have been watching a little bit of film on Rosinsky," Pavlik said. "Bits and pieces every night I am watching and he is a game fighter. He's not overly fast be he isn't slow. He's not overly powerful but he doesn't hit weak. He's in good shape. He comes to fight and he'll mix it up. Sometimes he tries to come in on the inside and take his opponent out. There are a lot of things I'm picking up on."
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Pavlik is well on his way back to the titles he first secured on Sept. 29, 2007, when he TKOed Jermain Taylor in the seventh round in Atlantic City, N.J.
"He was on a roll in those days and it was one success after another," Arum said. "We hope to replicate that now. Let's see how he does in this fight - we expect him to do well and then we are going to step him up to a much bigger fight in his next fight in the fall. But it's one step at a time."
Maybe one day Pavlik will get a chance to wear the gold around his waist once again?
"It is very important," Pavlik said. "It is my goal right now. For me and the people that didn't believe, it is definitely a goal. I am hungry for it."
Pavlik left longtime trainer Jack Loew and is now with Garcia.
"The move out here to Oxnard (Calif.) was the best move I could make," Pavlik said. "I didn't think I was ever going to get this opportunity again if I stayed back home training. We had to make that move. I'm glad I did and this is our golden opportunity right now."
After this fight, Pavlik would like to get a headliner.
"I would like to fight Carl Froch," Pavlik said. "That weight class is loaded no matter which way you go. Any big fight at this stage. Whatever opens up - whatever opportunity presents itself, whatever sanctioning body, it doesn't matter. Some of those heated words and some of the things Froch has said to me before hurt a little bit. I would like to fight (Lucian) Bute also.
"Any of those guys I will fight. These guys can sign on to fight someone else and it could be five months from now."
Who Pavlik fights is dependent on his performance on July 7, Arum said.
"Kelly should be a promoter when he retires because what he is saying is absolutely true. We're looking for a big fight," Arum said. "HBO wants him in the fall in a big fight. The question then is who is available and it's all the usual suspects.
"We'll see what the best opportunity is and if Kelly is successful on July 7 and looks good then it's on to a big fight."
