Kelly Pavlik, Miguel Cotto return to the ring on Feb. 21

World middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will bring a title fight to his economically depressed hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, and Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto will respond to his summer knockout welterweight title loss to Antonio Margarito in his familiar stamping grounds at Madison Square Garden in New York.

All the action will be available on the same night during a $44.95 pay-per-view broadcast.

Top Rank has set Feb. 21 for Pavlik's second middleweight title defense against top World Boxing Council contender Marco Antonio Rubio (43-4-1, 38 knockouts), as well as Cotto's return to the ring against Michael Jennings (34-1, 16 KOs).

Cotto (32-1, 26 KOs) will cap a three-fight card at MSG, where he previously defeated Zab Judah and "Sugar" Shane Mosley. Cotto is favored to beat Jennings during what is seen as a warm-up fight for a summer rematch against Margarito, who faces the stiffer challenge of defeating Mosley on Jan. 24 at Staples Center.

The New York audience will be treated to a large-screen feed of Pavlik (34-1, 30 KOs) defending his belt at the Chevrolet Centre. Pavlik in October lost a one-sided fight at 170 pounds to 43-year-old Bernard Hopkins.

"This whole town lives for him," Pavlik publicist Fred Sternburg said of Youngstown.

-- Lance Pugmire

Photo: Kelly Pavlik listens during an Oct. 14 news conference in New York in advance of fighting Bernard Hopkins in a bout in Atlantic City, N.J. Credit: Bebeto Matthews / Associated Press

Comments

[failchrist]

i see both fighters winning there fights, but anything can happene, thats why they fight the fight. but more inportant to both fighters in this case is how damaged are the "goods"! i think cotto took by far the worst beating. oavlik hinself wasnt unharmed , he suffered and old fashion boxing lesson from the best in the biz. and sure fire first ballot HOF. i see both guys starting early in there fights to astablish the control over there opponet, f not to win there fight but to prove to themselves that they still have what it takes to be at the top. look to see both men get back to the basics for cotto, known for his pressure fighting and body ounching, didnt do very much body punching at all in his ko loss last year. pavlik is going to look for a few rounds of work then prove he can still get a man out of there. out of 34 wins he has 30 ko's to his name. i am sure it is safe to say his power is still there and he will continue to prefom and bedazzle the fight world at 160....im sure it will be a while before the thought of 170 creeps back into his mind.