Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik (34-0 30 KOs) once again proved why he is considered one of the top middleweights, if not the best middleweight in the world, with an impressive third round stoppage of number one rated and mandatory WBO challenger Gary "The Rocket Man" Lockett (30-2, 21 KOs).

Pavlik of Youngstown, Ohio opened the bout with solid jabs, which kept Locket on the outside early on. Lockett from Cwmbran, Wales, tried to get inside the long jabs and actually caught Pavlik with a tight counter right upstairs, but was immediately backed up from a strong two-punch combination.

Pavlik doubled up and varied his jabs early in round two, which kept Lockett from timing anything. The power of Pavlik began to show as Lockett backed up from each big combination. A straight right on the chin wobbled Lockett and forced him to take a knee. Lockett was able to get back up and tried to fight off Pavlik, but two more big right hands sent him back to his knee with just seconds to go in the round. Lockett rose to his feet and the bell sounded before any more damage could be inflicted.

Lockett once again worked to establish his jab at the beginning of the second, but Pavlik was relentless with heavy combinations aimed upstairs. Each combination continually ended with heavy right hand thudding off the head of the tough as nails Welshman. The damage being done from the combinations was just too much as Lockett began to falter. Finally a straight left-right hook sent Lockett to a knee for the third and final time. Lockett's corner had seen enough and threw in the towel at 1:40 seconds of round three.

Pavlik landed an amazing 66 of 119 power punches (55%) while Lockett could only land 18 power punches of his 50 thrown.

"I just didn't see the shots coming," Lockett said afterwards. "He punches harder and faster then I thought. It wasn't just one punch, but the accumulation of punches. He was a fabulous fighter. Each time I threw punches, he was making me pay for it."

The WBO and WBC middleweight champion Pavlik spoke about the toughness of Lockett and his keys to victory afterwards. "Lockett was a legitimate fighter, who had good power. My jab was working and it set a lot of things up. It stopped him in his tracks. I knew I had buzzed him each time he took a knee."

The names of future opponents were thrown about a ringside. "Calzaghe would be a great fight and so would Abraham," said Pavlik. "I'll see what my managers and promoters propose and discuss it with them."---Kurt Wolfheimer