Kelly Robert Pavlik (born April 5, 1982) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2000 to 2012. He won the unified WBC, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal middleweight titles by defeating Jermain Taylor in 2007, and made three successful defenses before losing them to Sergio Martínez in 2010.
Known as "The Ghost", Pavlik grew up on the south side of Youngstown, Ohio, in the traditional ethnic Slovak neighborhood of Lansingville. He graduated from Lowellville High School and Mahoning County Joint Vocational School in 2000. Pavlik has been trained by Jack Loew of Youngstown's South Side Boxing Gym for his entire career.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Kelly Robert Pavlik
- Born: April 5, 1982 — Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 6 ft 2½ in (189 cm)
- Reach: 75 in (191 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro debut: Jun 16, 2000 (Win by TKO vs Eric Benito Tzand)
- Last bout: Jul 7, 2012 (Win by UD vs Will Rosinsky)
- Total rounds boxed: 194 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Middleweight
- KO percentage: 85.0% (34 KO wins in 40 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): WBC, WBO and The Ring middleweight titles September 29, 2007 – April 17, 2010 (won from Jermain Taylor; defended against Gary Lockett, Marco Antonio Rubio and Miguel Espino; lost to Sergio Martínez) — all dates per the bout table
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 42
- Wins: 40
- Wins by KO: 34
- Losses: 2
- Losses by KO: 0
- Draws: 0
- No contests: 0
- Born: April 5, 1982 — Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 6 ft 2½ in (189 cm)
- Reach: 75 in (191 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Divisions: Middleweight
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 16, 2000 | Eric Benito Tzand | Win | TKO | 3 (4) | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S. |
| 2 | Aug 5, 2000 | Nelson Hernandez | Win | TKO | 1 (4) | Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| 3 | Sep 15, 2000 | Frankie Sanchez | Win | TKO | 1 (4), 1:59 | Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| 4 | Oct 15, 2000 | Anthony Collier | Win | TKO | 1 (4) | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| 5 | Nov 17, 2000 | Lafayette Randolph | Win | TKO | 2 (4), 1:48 | Peppermill, Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| 6 | Dec 15, 2000 | Cedric Johnson | Win | TKO | 2 (4), 1:54 | Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| 7 | Feb 4, 2001 | Mathias Bedburdick | Win | TKO | 3 (4), 2:43 | Lucky Star Casino, Concho, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| 8 | Mar 23, 2001 | Tommy Walker | Win | TKO | 1 (4), 2:46 | Sports Center, Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S. |
| 9 | Jun 8, 2001 | Grady Brewer | Win | TKO | 2 (4), 2:48 | Ho-Chunk Casino, Baraboo, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| 10 | Aug 4, 2001 | Mario Lopez | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 1:42 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 11 | Nov 21, 2001 | Rob Bleakley | Win | KO | 2 (8), 1:56 | Holiday Inn Metroplex, Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| 12 | Feb 23, 2002 | Robert Dasoyan | Win | KO | 2 (6), 2:15 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 13 | Jun 21, 2002 | Eric Olds | Win | KO | 1 (6), 2:45 | The Orleans, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 14 | Jul 30, 2002 | Abel Hernandez | Win | TKO | 1 (6), 2:54 | Lucky Star Casino, Concho, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| 15 | Sep 14, 2002 | Edson Madrid | Win | UD | 6 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 16 | Feb 8, 2003 | Eduardo Gutierrez | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 2:59 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 17 | Mar 22, 2003 | Cesar Avila | Win | TKO | 6 (6), 2:00 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 18 | Jul 1, 2003 | Rico Cason | Win | KO | 2 (10), 2:02 | Cafaro Field, Niles, Ohio, U.S. |
| 19 | Jan 23, 2004 | Anthony Ivory | Win | UD | 8 | Expo Center, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| 20 | Mar 26, 2004 | Roberto Baro | Win | KO | 2 (8), 2:16 | Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| 21 | Jul 2, 2004 | Pedro Ortega | Win | TKO | 6 (10) | Fieldhouse, Struthers, Ohio, U.S. |
| 22 | Sep 18, 2004 | Carlton Holland | Win | KO | 2 (8), 2:59 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 23 | Nov 27, 2004 | Ross Thompson | Win | UD | 8 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 24 | Mar 4, 2005 | Dorian Beaupierre | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 2:35 | Silver Star Hotel and Casino, Choctaw, Mississippi, U.S. |
| 25 | Jun 10, 2005 | Daniel Neal | Win | TKO | 1 (8), 1:49 | Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| 26 | Aug 26, 2005 | Vincent Harris | Win | TKO | 2 (8), 2:19 | D & I Colonial Ballroom, Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| 27 | Oct 7, 2005 | Fulgencio Zúñiga | Win | TKO | 9 (12), 3:00 | The Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant NABF middleweight title |
| 28 | Jul 27, 2006 | Bronco McKart | Win | TKO | 6 (12), 2:45 | Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant NABF middleweight title |
| 29 | Nov 2, 2006 | Lenord Pierre | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 0:46 | Chevrolet Centre, Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| 30 | Jan 27, 2007 | Jose Luis Zertuche | Win | KO | 8 (12), 1:40 | Honda Center, Anaheim, California, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained NABF middleweight title |
| 31 | May 19, 2007 | Edison Miranda | Win | TKO | 7 (12), 1:54 | FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| 32 | Sep 29, 2007 | Jermain Taylor | Win | TKO | 7 (12), 2:14 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 33 | Feb 16, 2008 | Jermain Taylor | Win | UD | 12 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 34 | Jun 7, 2008 | Gary Lockett | Win | TKO | 3 (12), 1:40 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 35 | Oct 18, 2008 | Bernard Hopkins | Loss | UD | 12 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 36 | Feb 21, 2009 | Marco Antonio Rubio | Win | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | Chevrolet Centre, Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 37 | Dec 19, 2009 | Miguel Espino | Win | TKO | 5 (12), 1:44 | Beeghly Center, Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 38 | Apr 17, 2010 | Sergio Martínez | Loss | UD | 12 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 39 | May 7, 2011 | Alfonso López III | Win | MD | 10 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 40 | Mar 31, 2012 | Aaron Jaco | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 0:45 | Illusions Theater, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| 41 | Jun 8, 2012 | Scott Sigmon | Win | TKO | 7 (10), 3:00 | The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 42 | Jul 7, 2012 | Will Rosinsky | Win | UD | 10 | Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S. |
Titles & notes
Major title reigns (start–end): WBC, WBO and The Ring middleweight titles September 29, 2007 – April 17, 2010 (won from Jermain Taylor; defended against Gary Lockett, Marco Antonio Rubio and Miguel Espino; lost to Sergio Martínez) — all dates per the bout table
- Oct 7, 2005 vs Fulgencio Zúñiga: Won vacant NABF middleweight title
- Jul 27, 2006 vs Bronco McKart: Won vacant NABF middleweight title
- Jan 27, 2007 vs Jose Luis Zertuche: Retained NABF middleweight title
- Sep 29, 2007 vs Jermain Taylor: Won WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Jun 7, 2008 vs Gary Lockett: Retained WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Feb 21, 2009 vs Marco Antonio Rubio: Retained WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Dec 19, 2009 vs Miguel Espino: Retained WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Apr 17, 2010 vs Sergio Martínez: Lost WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (). Featured image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Pavlik_at_the_International_Boxing_Hall_of_Fame_in_2025.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=api&utm_content=original
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved 2026-11-01.
