Kelly Pavlik vs. Marco Antonio Rubio: Round By Round

The scene shifts from Madison Square Garden to the Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, for the second featured bout of tonight's split-site pay-per-view. Hometown hero Kelly Pavlik puts his middleweight belts on the line against Marco Antonio Rubio. Nick Charles and Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini are calling the action.

The tale of the tape shows Pavlik with advantages in both height and reach. Both men weighed in almost even, though Rubio has claimed he will be about 175 pounds for the fight.

Rubio comes to the ring first to the expected chorus of boos. He is 43-4-1 but has won nine straight.

Here comes Pavlik, with the fans almost drowning out Korn. He is 34-1 with 30 KOs, though this is his first fight since being dismantled by Bernard Hopkins.

Jimmy Lennon Jr. does the introductory duties, and Frank Garza is the referee in charge of the action.

Round One

Pavlik reaches with the jab and Rubio tries a wide hook. Rubio moves backward away from the right hands. Two jabs from Pavlik. The champ goes to the body and then back upstairs. Rubio snaps the jab and backs off. Rubio covers up as Pavlik flurries. Pavlik scores with a right and follows with a left hook. Rubio circles into the left hook and eats a right hand to the face.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Two

Rubio has had virtually nothing offensively so far. Pavlik throws a multi-punch combo that knocks his foe back into the ropes. Rubio takes a left hook to the body with no answer. Pavlik has used the lead left hook at will. Right hand by Kelly. Rubio tries to flurry but most of it is blocked. I'm not sure as many of Pavlik's punches are landing flush as the announcers suggest, but it hardly matters if Rubio can't find his offense.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Three

Finally Rubio digs in a bit. Pavlik lands a left and a right and Rubio tries his own left. Pavlik is still scoring with both hands and even though Rubio hasn't landed much, Kelly's eye is showing some swelling. Rubio reaches with a right but can't get close enough. The challenger escapes trouble on the ropes and throws hooks with both hands. That was another Pavlik round for sure.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Four

Pavlik's jabs and lead left hooks have befuddled Rubio to this point. Pavlik flurries in the corner but it's mostly ineffective. Jabs and a left to the body by Kelly. Left hooks still getting through to Rubio's head and body. Pavlik lands three in a row along the ropes. Long right hand by Pavlik.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Five

Rubio scores with a right but takes a better one in return. Pavlik comes forward with hooks from both hands. Left to the head and right to the body by the champ. Pavlik turns it on along the ropes, landing with both hands. Rubio shows a little life with a right hand. Three straight jabs from Pavlik. Sharp left by Rubio but he backs away. Good counter right by Pavlik stuns Rubio.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Six

Rubio throws a left hook but he's still backing away too much. Pavlik sits down on a right and a left hook. Rubio's jab is coming a bit more now. Pavlik uses his to set up two nice shots. Both men trade from close range. Nice right hook by Rubio. Pavlik shrugs it off and goes back to work. Another nice right by Rubio. The challenger shows some confidence with a big flurry in the final ten seconds. Finally a close round.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Seven

We'll see if Rubio mounts a challenge now. Pavlik works his jab again. Rubio backs up and seems to be trying to lure Pavlik in. Nice straight right from Pavlik. Rubio is covering up well but not throwing too much in response. The crowd fires up Pavlik with 60 seconds to go. Pavlik zips a left hook to the body and a left to the head. Rubio hops forward and tries to load up a big right.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Eight

I'm not as impressed by Palik as Mancini, but he's dominated most rounds. Rubio trades hooks with the champs as he bounces around. Good right on a counter by Rubio. Pavlik flurries along the ropes. Left hook by Pavlik and they trade in the corner. Nice right to the body by Pavlik. Double left hands by the champ. Pavlik delivers a strong right hand and another along the ropes. Rubio getting battered but still bravely fires back.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Round Nine

Pavlik moves well as Rubio tries for the home run shot. The champ works off his jab and has many options open to him. Rubio is cornered and barely escapes. The fans urge on their man as he keeps coming forward. Right to the head and left to the body by Pavlik. A left knocks Rubio back and a mean right just misses. Snapping left by Pavlik to close out the round.

Franchise: 10-9 Pavlik
Spartan117: 10-9 Pavlik

Rubio quits on his stool before the tenth round and it's over.

The winner by TKO at the end of Round Nine... and still WBC and WBO middleweight champion... Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik.

Mancini enters the ring to interview Pavlik. The champ admits there was some pressure, but he's really pleased with the way he bounced back. He says he expected Rubio to stand and punch more, but he still managed to wear him down.

Asked about what's next, Pavlik mentions John Duddy, Arthur Abraham and Felix Sturm as possibilities. It sounds like they are looking for a summer fight in Youngstown.

Mancini also talks to Rubio. Marco blames himself, saying he felt strong but was very tight. He says he landed a few shots but was unable to apply any pressure, and he's disappointed. Rubio says he's only 28 and though he lost to a great champion, he plans on regrouping and fighting on.

CompuBox shows Pavlik threw twice as many punches and landed nearly twice as many. Pavlik thanks the fans in his hometown before he leaves the ring.

Posted by The Franchise