Somehow the Youngstown tough cookie  is allowed to answer the bell for round three - is actually holding his own - although the feeling here was no more than another Taylor bomb it’s a done deal.

Over four through six  my scribbles had it Taylor with the clearly better skills and proverbial ring generalship - still, Pavlik was making the rounds close with determination and unbelievable will to win the thing.

Then it’s stanza  seven and Pavlik with a telling jab backed by a strong right hand that wobbles the champion - and with it a suddenly stronger Pavlik is all over his prey with power punches.

Trapped in a corner with no place to go and out on his feet Taylor would finally fall to the canvas, and remained there in a sitting position for the full count.   

The way this one played out was more shocker than stunning - and the post fight interview with Pavlik inside the ring with Larry Merchant - and later it was Merchant with Taylor in his dressing room - was clearly on the money.

Nobody around does better post fight interview than Merchant - asks newly crowned dual belt winner if he thought he’d survive that second round and the kid said he expected to - Larry then gave it a different approach - asks what the thinking was when down and bloody - kid responds with a gem - “To be truthful I thought, shit, this is gonna be one long night.”

Later, in Taylor dressing room asks the fallen champion did he think it was a short night during that round two battering he had put on Pavlik - Taylor sounded believable - replies he did think it was over - but gave credit to Pavlik as being a tough kid with power. He also felt he blew the fight going wild when Pavlik got to his feet, and let him off the hook. 

Post Scripts: Kelly Pavlik ( 32-0, 29 KOs) - age 25 - can’t get any better for one this young and stopping in convincing style a strong, proven undefeated champion. Talk quickly became contract mandated return at catch weights - maybe, maybe not. My dime goes with Taylor for a final verdict on the likable new kid on the block with the WBC/WBO trophies.
                      Jermain Taylor (27-1, 17 KOs) - age 29 - expected to win - couldn’t come any closer in stanza two - a round that had me wondering if ref had lost his mind in not stopping the carnage with Pavlik bloody, down, and on queer street - end result proved Kelly scored big time with ol’ “Body Bag” Smoger reverting to his past work habits. Regardless, Taylor deserves a return and win or lose the rest of the story will be written.

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The appetizer a welterweight brawl for minor league NABF strap saw young, power punching Andre Berto a step closer to the next rung in a donnybrook knockout win over proven Chicago warrior David Estrada.

Berto passed this biggest test as he goes to 20-0 with a now 17 by knockout - the end arrived at 1:17 of stanza eleven.

Post Scripts: Berto ~ a just turned age 24 showed good skills to go with the confidence - gifted with legit power, and performs in relaxed posture. Sets a busy a pace and gave no hint of tiring as they went to the proverbial championship rounds. Legit prospect on all counts.
                       Estrada ~ age 28 - drops to a now 21-4, 12  K0s - in style, and coupled with some of the company he’s kept in losing battles with Shane Mosley and Kermit Cintron, looks a bit battle worn. Style has remained as it was in bringing it to the other guy. Today, more tough club fighter than contender material.

Referees: David Fields lets them do battle - that’s the good news - the other side of the coin was his letting a completely beaten Estrada take too many punches in stanza eleven. Estrada corner man, Lou Lagerman, showed serious concern for his charge as he was caught on camera riding to the rescue when seeing Estrada road kill and the referee in role of spectator.