By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik and Billy “Pride of Ohio” Lyell both achieved impressive success as professional boxers. Pavlik had a 40-2 record with 34 knockouts and won middleweight titles from Ring Magazine, the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA). Lyell competed for both the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the WBC middleweight crowns on the way to a 25-11 record with five knockouts.
Now they’re utilizing their experiences outside the ring. They are business partners and recently launched the mobile app “Sweet Science+,” currently available for IOS devices. “We wanted to launch in August, but there were some things we had to get right,” Pavlik said during interviews he and Lyell recently conducted with the Tribune. “We wanted to have something that could address a variety of concerns along with boxing,” added Lyell. “The app also is designed to help out for workouts and for nutrition.”
While both men are from Ohio, Lyell currently resides in Naples, Florida, where he operates the Sweet Science Boxing & Fitness gym. Pavlik continues working in boxing and fitness activities in Ohio. They felt creating this app would enable them to not only pool their collective knowledge for the benefit of a wide audience, it could help generate more interest in and exposure for boxing. The app is also a way to save money and forego either hiring a personal trainer or paying gym fees.
“Sweet Science +” was created through the joint efforts of the Divine Digital Agency and Sweet Science Boxing & Fitness. It combines fitness instruction, workout training and nutritional advice. It’s a family-oriented app that’s easily adaptable for all ages & skill levels. In addition, it represents an outgrowth of things offered at the Sweet Science Boxing & Fitness gym.
Both Lyell and Pavlik say initial response has been very encouraging,. They both maintain there’s still lots of interest in boxing, both as a sport or for fitness training and exercise.
“What I’m seeing now are more young people interested in the sport,” Lyell said. “I think the app is a really good way to stimulate more interest in it, and also to show people there’s a lot more involved in it than just force and power.” “For me, I think boxing was hurt a lot by all the pay-per-view and taking the big bouts off network TV,” added Pavlik. “I understand that MMA has become popular as well, but for the big fights, you still can’t beat the electricity and the energy that’s in an arena.”
Lyell and Pavlik anticipate the extension of the “Sweet Science +” app to android devices early next year. It’s now available via the Apple Itunes store. More information is also available online at TheSweetScienceNaples.com or at Facebook.com/TheSweetScienceNaples.