Kelly Pavlik produced an astonishing turnaround to dethrone world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor in Atlantic City on Saturday. The man from Youngstown, Ohio was on the brink of an embarrassing early defeat in round two. But he roared back to stop the champion in round seven after finally blasting his way into the fight.
Big-punching Pavlik came into the ring with a 31-0 record and a lofty reputation as one of the sport's next big things. But despite having the backing of a raucous crowd inside the Boardwalk, he was in trouble early. Taylor (now 27-1-1) started impressively, dominating the early going with a stiff left jab and classy combinations.
And this eagerly-awaited showdown appeared set for an early finish when the man from Arkansas wobbled Pavlik with right midway through round two.
A stumbling Pavlik took a barrage of punches and went down for a mandatory eight count.
Another big Taylor right then sent Pavlik careering across the ring, but somehow he managed to make it to the end of the round.
The next four rounds provided more success for Taylor, but despite not having the variety to really trouble the champ Pavlik was gradually regaining his composure.
And everything changed in a big way early in an astonishing seventh round. Pavlik turned the tide by crashing home a cracking straight right hand that had Taylor in big trouble.
And then he followed up with a barrage of thunderous punches, highlighted by left and right uppercuts.
Taylor went down and with Pavlik in total control referee Steve Smoger called a halt.
Afterwards Pavlik said: "He caught me with a good one in the second, he took the legs from me. I was still a little shaky. He hit me with a lot of punches, but I got through it. You know what I really thought: 'Sh**, this is going to be a long night.'
"The more the fight went, the better I felt. Jab for jab I felt I was there with him.
"I just think in the end it was an accumulation of punches. He took a lot of good shots and I think it caught up in the seventh round.
"I hit him with a straight right hand and I followed it up. One thing I do have is the finishing touch."
In the main support, Andre Berto came through a thrilling battle with David Estrada to win their WBC and IBF welterweight title eliminator with an 11th-round TKO.
Estrada was stopped one minute 17 seconds into the 11th, seconds after taking an eight count from referee David Fields, having been floored by a thundering straight right from Berto.
Berto, a 2004 US Olympian, stretched his unbeaten record to 20-0 while Estrada slipped to 21-4 .