ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - For the past seven years, Kelly Pavlik's nickname of "The Ghost" seemed a perfect description for a boxing career progressing in relative obscurity.
Two fights was all it took to put Pavlik out front and at the top of the middleweight division.
With his stunning seventh-round knockout of undisputed champion Jermain Taylor on Saturday night, Pavlik (32-0, 29 knockouts) suddenly finds himself in control of his immediate future.
Depending on numerous factors including promoter Bob Arum's mood, that could include a date with Irishman John Duddy in New York around St. Patrick's Day, or possibly in Wales against undefeated super middleweight Joe Calzaghe.
It may take that long for the glow of Saturday's victory to wear off. The win came in front of more than 10,000 people in Boardwalk Hall - the majority of whom were Pavlik's hometown supporters from Youngstown, Ohio.
"He's proved everything we'd dreamed he would," Arum said.
Few outside Pavlik's camp gave him much chance against Taylor (27-1-1, 17 KOs), who despite an uninspired performance against Cory Spinks in May was a solid favourite Saturday.
Pavlik had earned the title shot by upsetting Colombian Edison Miranda on the Taylor-Spinks undercard. Miranda apparently was so unconcerned about Pavlik that he spent most of the run-up to the fight disparaging Taylor, whom he expected to fight once he beat Pavlik.
Taylor gave Pavlik little respect, either, dismissing him as overrated. Veteran trainer Emanuel Steward predicted the fight would be close for a round and that Taylor would knock Pavlik out.
While admitting he was surprised by Pavlik's speed and skill level, Steward was gracious after the fight.
"Kelly set the tempo for the fight and was fighting extremely focused and extremely determined," he said. "I saw that look in his eyes and I could see the fight was moving in his direction. He would've been a threat to anybody."
Steward's earlier prediction nearly came true when an explosive combination by Taylor sent Pavlik to his hands and knees in the second round. Pavlik got up and hung on for dear life until the bell, but looked in deep trouble.
"I felt like the leaning tower, it took me so long to go down," Pavlik said. "My legs just went out. I heard the count, then when I got up I still had a tingly feeling in my legs. The fans definitely helped me out - I could hear them yelling 'Kelly! Kelly!'
"I knew if I could survive that round, I'd have the fight."
All three judges had Taylor ahead after six rounds - none had Pavlik winning more than two rounds - but Pavlik had already begun to make inroads by using his jab effectively.
"He had a great jab, I started catching on to it later on," Taylor said. "He didn't hurt me until the end, but I threw a lot of unnecessary punches."
The end came swiftly, with Taylor backed into a corner as he had been several times earlier in the fight. This time, instead of punching his way out, he took a hard right from Pavlik and then several more shots to the head before crumpling in a heap.
"He just caught me with a great shot and I didn't recover," Taylor said. "I thought I'd slip it but I didn't. I didn't see it coming."