Kelly Pavlik and Bernard Hopkins Trade Nicknames This Saturday

This Saturday is definitely going to be weird shift of role reversals for these two boxers. More accurately, it is Kelly Pavlik who will be playing the part of "The Executioner" as he looks to put away the "The Ghost" in Bernard Hopkins who refuses to stop haunting boxing.

Many fans are dreaming of knockout win for Pavlik but they're more likely to witness another twelve rounds of Hopkins' NON-boxing skills.

Bernard Hopkins already has a secured legacy at middleweight. He's got a record number of title defenses and improved his pound-for-pound status by beating Antonio Tarver around the ring at light heavyweight.

Even when he lost, it was close split decisions to younger, faster, and stronger fighters like Jermain Taylor and Joe Calzaghe. Another loss for Hopkins would prove nothing for boxing. Lately, it's just another way of saying, "AHA! If Hopkins was younger, he'd school Pavlik for sure!"

I'm sick of it. Boxing needs to move on and find a champion that can be respected as a champion. A loss for Pavlik would be devastating. He'd been seen as just another hard puncher with no real skills. Some people might refer to him as just another HBO creation, another wannabe, another boxer just popular for being white.

Luckily for all of us, I see this fight going much the way the Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto fight went—the young guy wins. Hopkins has been aging steadily and is no longer the old Hopkins that fought Jermain Taylor three years ago.

We're talking about the ancient Hopkins who got out-punched by Calzaghe by nearly 250 punches. We're talking about a boxer who feigned a low blow and delayed a fight by complaining as much as possible to the ref.

Hopkins can use his head all he wants, literally and figuratively, Pavlik is going to rack up the points and win because he's throwing more punches and moving forward. Hopkins boxes well in retreat but he's not Floyd Mayweather.

Taking a quick look at things, Pavlik is a harder and busier puncher who moves forward with a tight defense against the jab and left hook. Bernard Hopkins on the other hand, back pedals the entire fight and throws nothing but lead right hands and counter right hands. In Hopkins' last fight, he was tired during the last four rounds.

Pavlik is just going to win, it's as easy as that. The only way to beat Pavlik really is to step to the side and jab at him all night. You have to move-move-move but also hit him as you're moving. The easiest punch to throw while moving is the jab and that's a punch that Hopkins doesn't like to use very much.

Also, has anybody else noticed that new and upcoming fighters usually get the nod in decision fights against faded champions?

I've got Kelly Pavlik winning by a four-point decision and I find it hard to see it any other way. Pavlik won't be knocking out Hopkins because Hopkins is too skillful to engage in a punching contest. Hopkins is also bigger than Pavlik which should help him take his punches better.