LITTLE ROCK — The rematch is on, and this time it's all about revenge.
Little Rock's Jermain Taylor isn't going to have to wait long to get a chance to avenge his only professional loss, a seventh-round knockout by Kelly Pavlik on Sept. 29.
Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter, has notified Bob Arum, Pavlik's promoter, that Taylor has exercised his contractual option for an immediate rematch.
Taylor had until Oct. 29 to make that decision. Al Haymon, Taylor's adviser, told DiBella onMonday that Taylor didn't want to fight anyone but Pavlik.
The fight will be at 166 pounds, 6 above the middleweight limitas indicated in the rematch clause of the first contract, and it will not be a title fight. So Pavlik will retain his WBC and WBO middleweight belts even if he loses.
But after losing for the first time, Taylor said winning the belts back wasn't the most important thing. He wants another shot atPavlik, at any weight.
"We notified Top Rank [Arum's company], and they're aware that we'll get an immediate rematch," DiBella said. "Jermain wanted it from the second he walked out of the ring the last time.
"He's never walked away from any challenge. Coming so close to beating this guy and having it end the way it ended is a hard pill to swallow. He's confident he can reverse the outcome."
Taylor was unavailable for comment Tuesday. Ozell Nelson, Taylor's coach, said Tuesday that Taylor has never wavered in his desire for a rematch, but declined to discuss specifics.
DiBella said details are still being worked out, including the date and venue.
Sources told the Democrat-Gazette that HBO is holding Feb. 16 for a pay-per-view broadcast for the fight, and that is the mostlikely date. For that date, the fight would likely be heading to Las Vegas.
Arum told sources that if the fight is Feb. 23, it could be held at Madison Square Garden in New York. But Wladimir Klitschko is likely to make a heavyweight title defense on HBO on Feb. 23, and a Taylor-Pavlik fight on that date is only possible if the Klitschko fight moves.
Atlantic City, N.J., the site of the first fight, is also a possibility.
Contractually, the rematch must take place within 150 days of the first fight, making March 1 the deadline.
"I'm fine with this fight," said Cameron Dunkin, Pavlik's manager. "I think it was a great fight the first time and good for boxing. Kelly's really excited about it and looking forward to it. Kelly was ready to start training last night."
"I think they're crazy, but that's fine with us," said Pavlik'strainer, Jack Loew, when asked about the rematch. "We are ready to go. I think we'll pick up right from round seven and go on. How much can he change in two months? But, hey, Jermain came to fight the first time and I expect him to come to fight again."
DiBella said that by contract everything in this fight would be split 50-50, including the promotion and the purse. Loew questioned whether Pavlik would fight for a 50-50 split. But Dunkin, who will do the negotiating for Pavlik, said because the fight is likely going to be pay-per-view, it can be financially beneficial to both fighters, and there is little chance of Pavlik balking at the financial terms.
Pavlik could not be reached Tuesday, but his father, Michael Pavlik, said his son is ready for Taylor.
"If he wants to fight us, we're excited about taking the fight," Michael Pavlik said. "It will belike we never left training."
Training for both fighters will be different this time with neither having to struggle to make a 160-pound limit. Taylor said before the first fight that he was most comfortable at a weight above 160.
Loew was asked how the 166-pound limit would change the second fight.
"It will end earlier," he said. "I'm just shocked, after they know how strong Kelly is, they're going to let him not diet one time during training camp. He's going to be able to eat like a horse and be extremely strong at this weight.
"I think I have a complete way to beat Jermain Taylor, and I'm really not worried about the fight."
A final issue to be decided is who will train Taylor.
Emanuel Steward has trained Taylor for his previous four fights. But Nelson, who ultimately makes these decisions forTeam Taylor, has not committed to naming Steward as the trainer for the rematch and declined to comment on the situation Tuesday.
Steward said he will abide by Team Taylor's decision but that he is ready to train Taylor again and is confident Taylor will win the second time.
Steward also trains Klitschko and said that if he trains Taylor again he will bring him to a joint training camp with Klitschko, which will be held somewhere in Florida other than Miami.
"I don't know what the situation is going to be," Steward said. "That's going to be their choice. But Jermain and Ozell asked me [who Taylor should fight next] and I said go for immediate rematch. I think he's grown. He accepts what has happened. This is a fortunate for Jermain. He can come right back. The mistakes that were made won't happen again.
"I don't think Pavlik will change. I think Jermain will."
Sports, Pages 23, 27 on 10/24/2007