GL: Can you give us some thoughts on the fight last night? "I thought it was one of the best fights I've seen in a long. Kelly stayed in there and he did what he had to do. He just knocks guys out. He's knocked three guys out in the exact same way. Zertuche, Edison Miranda and now Jermain Taylor."

GL: How concerned were you that he was going to get stopped in the second round?

Bob Arum: "Concerned? I almost died. It just showed the guts of the kid and the intelligence for holding on to Taylor and weathering the storm. The thing I loved was how he came out in the third round and took the third round."

GL: Everybody knows about the rematch clause, when can we expect that to be enforced?

BA: "I think everybody has to talk. I talked to Lou and I think it very well may be that everybody is better off to set a date for the rematch and have them each take one or two different fights to really build the rematch."

GL: Do you think a rematch would be much different?

BA: "I like our guys chances. But I want to cast a doubt in peoples minds so we can capitalize on the money in the rematch."

GL: If not Taylor, what other lucrative fights are out there at middleweight for Kelly Pavlik?

BA: "Mora, John Duddy and Arthur Abraham are all possibilities."

GL: The super middleweight division is heating up, can we expect Pavlik to move up any time soon?

BA: "I think I love the middleweight division, but obviously if it makes sense he can fight the winner of Calzaghe-Kessler."

GL: Can you give us some final thoughts on Pacquiao-Barrera II?

BA: "That's going to be a great fight. Barrera is such an intelligent fighter. You have to worry about it if he turns the fight into a boxing match. Barrera is a very clever fighter, but Manny is in great shape and I have confidence in Manny. Right now Top Rank has the three most exciting bangers in boxing with Pavlik, Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto."

GL: Miguel Cotto fights November 10 against Shane Mosley, can you give us some thoughts on that promotion??

BA: "That's going to be another great fight. Shane Mosley is a great fighter I know it's Cotto's most difficult test. I have all the repsect in the world for Shane Mosley, but I think my guy is going to win. I told you I thought Kelly was going to win and he came through. I think Pacquiao is going to beat Barrera and I think Cotto is going to beat Mosley."

GL: After Kelly Pavlik stopped Miranda he earned the number one position and Jermain Taylor had no choice but to make his mandatory defense against Pavlik. Why was there a rematch clause in the contract?

BA: "Because they were threatening to give up the title and prolong it and all of that sort of stuff. We felt that it would be ok to do a rematch to make sure we got the fight. We were so confident that we were going to win the fight."

GL: When you say they do you mean Team Taylor or HBO?

BA: "It wasn't HBO, it was Mr. Machiavelli, the unlicensed advisor."

GL: Who's that?

BA: "Who do you think?

GL: I don't think much, you have to tell me these things.

BA: "I can't say."

GL: What are his initials?

BA: A.H.

GL: So you're trying to say Pavlik-Taylor wouldn't have happened unless you guys bent to the stick?

BA: "That's correct."

GL: If Taylor-Pavlik was the only fight at middleweight that mattered yesterday, what's changed?

BA: "Now Pavlik won the title and people want to see him defending it..."

GL: (cutting in) Stop it.

BA: Don't say stop it.

GL: I'm telling you the truth Bobfather, the rematch is the only fight at middleweight that matters. I don't want to keep you too long, so give me some closing thoughts for the fans and we'll keep it moving.

BA: "I just think that Pacquiao-Barrera is going to be an excellent fight, there's a very good undercard and it's a good telecast. I think we're going to invite Kelly out to the fight and hopefully he comes to Las Vegas so that the West Coast press can get to meet him."

M

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