Taking a gamble - Unbeaten Kelly Pavlik says he can wrest the middleweight crown from Taylor in Atlantic City

Ray Mancini was unbeaten in 20 bouts when he lost a lightweight title fight to Alexis Arguello in 1981 in his Atlantic City debut. Harry Arroyo was also unbeaten when he lost his lightweight title to Jimmy Paul in Atlantic City in 1985.

Tonight, Youngstown's Kelly Pavlik makes his Atlantic City debut. And he's hoping that the third time, for a fighter from Youngstown, will be the charm.

A 25-year-old middleweight with 28 knockouts among his 31 wins without a loss, Pavlik will look to separate Jermain Taylor (27-0-1, 17 KOs) from his senses, as well as his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization crowns.

"I've spoken to Harry Arroyo a couple of times," said Pavlik, who was 2 when Arroyo lost to Paul, and wasn't born when Mancini fell to Arguello.

"Mancini still is a celebrity around town. My trainer [Jack Loew] is very good friends with him. When he comes to town, we talk a little bit," said Pavlik, who is expected to make a career-high $1.25 million against Taylor.

"I was on a local radio show last Thursday, and Mancini called in," Pavlik said. "He told me some things about keeping your focus. He said, 'Jermain has fought in plenty of world title fights,' and, 'Don't lose your composure.' "

The overwhelming edge in experience lies with Taylor: Seven of Taylor's last eight opponents have been present or former world champions, including William Joppy, Bernard Hopkins, Winky Wright and Cory Spinks. And the eighth, Daniel Edouard, was stopped by Taylor in the third round.

But Loew -- who has known the challenger since he first laced on gloves at the age of 10 -- said his fighter won't lose his cool despite being in the biggest fight of his career.

"Kelly's one of the most relaxed guys. When we fought [Jose Luis] Zertuche, I was so nervous," Loew said, referring to Pavlik's eighth-round knockout victory two fights ago. "I'm supposed to be calming him down in the locker room, but Kelly was the one who was like, 'Hey, man, Jack, relax, everything is going to be fine.' "

The same thing happened before Pavlik's last bout, an eight-round slugfest in which Pavlik stopped the highly regarded Edison Miranda.

"In Memphis, for the last fight, yet again, I was so nervous against Miranda," Loew said. "But Kelly's sitting in a chair with his feet up, and said, again, 'What are you guys so nervous about?' "