Former World Middleweight Champion and the pride of Youngstown, Ohio, Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik will headline a hometown fight card for the first time nearly two years when he takes on Darryl Cunningham in a 10-round super middleweight battle, Saturday, August 6, at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown. The fight will be televised live on SHOWTIME on a special edition of ShoBox: The Next Generation, beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast.)
Pavlik (37-2, 32 KOs), knocked out undefeated defending champion Jermain Taylor in the seventh round of their epic 2007 fight to capture the world middleweight title. Pavlik successfully defended the title three times during his reign before losing it to 2010 Fighter of the Year Sergio Martinez three years later.
This marks Pavlik’s first fight in Youngstown since 2009 where he knocked out Miguel Espino in the fifth round to retain his world title. Pavlik returns to the ring fresh from a 10-round decision over Alfonso Lopez in the co-main event under the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley world welterweight title fight on May 7. Pavlik is the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) No. 1-rated super middleweight contender.
Cunningham (23-2, 10 KOs), of Detroit, enters this fight riding a three-year, 16-bout winning streak, including former world title challengers Antwun Echols and Rubin Williams, back-to-back last year, by knockout and unanimous decision, respectively.
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets to Pavlik vs. Cunningham, priced at $150 (ringside), $100 (VIP), $50 (Gold), and $25 (Silver), plus $2 facility fee, go on sale This Friday! July 15, at 10:00 a.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased at www.Ticketmaster.com, and by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the Covelli Centre box office, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
