Kelly Pavlik vs. Artur Abraham eyed for early part of 2010

The fight between the middleweight champions Kelly Pavlik and Artur Abraham is being eyed for the early part of 2010. Both sides hoped to make the fight in 2009, but several factors came into play, Boxingscene says.

Both Abraham and Pavlik were scheduled to make their title defenses on June 27, with a unification meeting in the fall. Pavlik's June defense with Sergio Mora was postponed. Abraham's mandatory June defense with Giovanni Lorenzo has also been postponed.

Top Rank is trying to schedule Pavlik's defense for September. Sauerland event was trying to get Abraham's mandatory obligation with Lorenzo out of the way by making them fight in June. But promoters of Lorenzo were asking for too much money and the fight will head to a purse bid. Instead of Lorenzo, Abraham will make a voluntary against Mahir Oral on the same June date and then get Lorenzo out of the way in September, the same month that Pavlik should see action.

If both of them win, the fight might finally happen in January or February.