Former World Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik has called off his hometown fight scheduled for Saturday against Darryl Cunningham.
The fight was to take place Aug. 6 at the Covelli Centre and was to have been televised on Showtime. It would have marked the first time in nearly two years Pavlik sparred in his hometown.
Pavlik's promoter Top Rank confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Pavlik withdrew from his upcoming 10-round bout against Darryl Cunningham.
"Top Rank is very disappointed at Kelly’s sudden decision to discontinue the rebuilding of his boxing career," said Todd DuBoef, president of Top Rank. "Kelly’s team specifically outlined a strategy for Kelly to return to the ring in an effective fashion. Kelly’s team gave us their objectives, and we set them on a course, which began last May with Kelly’s fight against Alfonso Lopez and was to continue on Saturday against Darryl Cunningham. It seems Kelly has derailed this plan."
It wasn't as much to do with Saturday's fight specifically, but to his next fight. A win this Saturday would have set up a title shot against Lucian Bute this November. Jack Loew says Pavlik was offered $1.35 million dollars for that fight, an amount Pavlik felt should be higher. As a result, just four days away from stepping back into the ring, he elects to not take a chance this weekend because there isn't a big-money fight awaiting him later this year.
Loew says, the decision is a risky one.
"I thought maybe you could have fought Cunningham and then negotiated about the Bute fight," Loew said. Maybe not cancel the Cunningham fight and the Bute fight altogether. I thought maybe we could have handled it a little bit differently and tried to negotiate for the Bute fight after this fight," he added.
Top Rank said ticket holders can get a refund by returning their tickets to the place of purchase.
Cunningham is riding a three-year, 16-bout winning streak.
The Pavlik-Cunningham super middleweight rumble was to have been televised live on Showtime. Tickets had been priced at $150 (ringside), $100 (VIP), $50 (Gold), and $25 (Silver).
