OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN

October 17, 2008 - Photos by Will Hart

It's a telling story that there were 10 Kelly Pavlik fans to every Bernard Hopkins fan at today's weigh-in. Perhaps it's the draw that a Youngstown local boy has to his die-hard hometown fans, or that maybe Bernard Hopkins is a solitary underdog, always working his way out of trouble, in life and in the ring.

Or maybe it's just the fact that this is a fight between a young hungry fighter facing a tough legend of the game and this particular young fighter is one of boxing's brightest stars. He's the man to watch. And lots of people are watching to see if he's got what it takes to put Hopkins out of commision for good.

But as we all know Bernard Hopkins doesn't like his oppenents to get anything easily. Even today, in the face of boos and jeers, Hopkins stared cooly at Pavlik, talking trash to his face and getting in as close as he could. The older fighter, who weighed in at 170 pounds to Pavlik's 169, didn't seem the least bit thrown off by Pavlik, his crowd of fans or the huge fists of stone at his sides.