Pavlik-Taylor fight not likely to draw thugs to Las Vegas

A major sporting event is scheduled for Presidents Day weekend in Las Vegas again.

But unlike last year’s NBA All-Star Weekend, which caused considerable headaches up and down the Strip, the Feb. 16, 2008, rematch between middleweights Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor doesn’t have resort officials worried.

At least not the ones who run the MGM Grand.

Richard Sturm, the hotel’s president of sports and entertainment and the driving force behind bringing the second fight to the Grand Garden Arena, said he doesn’t anticipate the type of problems encountered during All-Star Weekend, where bands of thugs roamed the Strip, openly using drugs and walking out on restaurant bills and capped by the incident at the Minxx gentlemen’s club that involved NFL star Adam “Pacman” Jones and resulted in a bouncer’s paralysis after being shot.

“It never entered my mind, to be honest with you,” Sturm said of last year’s problems. “I don’t think you can look at it the same way as the All-Star Game. I don’t see the same problems for this fight.”

Sturm said the first fight, which saw Taylor dominate early only to have Pavlik rally and score a seventh-round knockout to win the WBC and WBO titles Sept. 29 in Atlantic City, made it attractive for the MGM, which was looking to bring a big sporting event to town for Presidents Day weekend.

The rematch will be at 166 pounds, 6 pounds over the middleweight limit, making it a nontitle fight.

“We wanted the rematch,” Sturm said. “I always check with our casino people before we book anything and see how much interest there is. They told me there would be a lot of interest, so it became an easy choice.”

Sturm said he anticipates fans from both fighters to make the trip to Las Vegas.

So does Top Rank president Bob Arum, who promotes Pavlik.

“There’s going to be a lot of people from Ohio (Pavlik is from Youngstown) making the trip to Vegas, if for nothing else but to get out of the snow,” Arum said.

• PAVLIK HELPS CANCER VICTIM — Pavlik lent his support to a good cause in his hometown Monday for a local teenager who is battling cancer.

Pavlik, along with former champions Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Harry Arroyo, Jeff Lampkin and Greg Richardson, as well as Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, raised money to help Dante DelSignore, a 14-year-old who has bone cancer.

Tressel said his team watched Pavlik’s knockout of Taylor on Nov. 16, the night before it played Michigan, and that it inspired his players to have Pavlik in their presence.

“After that night, I knew we had a heck of a chance to beat Michigan,” said Tressel, whose team won, 14-3.

• MAYWEATHER-HATTON ODDS — Ricky Hatton is getting the early betting money for his Dec. 8 fight against world welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden.

Mayweather opened at minus-280 at the MGM Mirage properties, with Hatton at plus-240. On Saturday, Mayweather was at minus-270, with Hatton at plus-230.

At the Stations Casinos, Mayweather opened minus-330 and is currently minus-300. Hatton opened at plus-250 and is currently plus-220.

• HARD ROCK CARD — Top Rank will have a special holiday fight card at The Joint at the Hard Rock on Dec. 20.

Highlighting the card will be Josh Clottey, who will take on Shamone Alvarez in a 12-round IBF welterweight elimination bout.

Also scheduled to appear is heavyweight Tye Fields, who will be in a 10-round bout against a yet-to-be determined opponent.

The card will be televised by the Versus Network (Cox Cable 67).

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.