Former middleweight world champion Kelly Pavlik (40-2, 34KOs) has been charged with assault for allegedly shooting a friend with a pellet from an air rifle. The criminal complaint outlining the first degree misdemeanor was filed in Mahoning County Court in Canfield last Tuesday.

The charge stems from an August 9th incident where Pavlik allegedly fired a pellet gun at Brian Bailing while both men were at Pavlik’s Canfield, Ohio Home.

A video of the incident surfaced online last November. If convicted, Pavlik could face up to 180 days in jail.

Pavlik, who last fought in 2012 when he decisioned Will Rosinsky in an HBO televised fight, has faced other legal troubles in recent years.

Last year April Weathersfield police charged Pavlik with assault and disorderly conduct for an incident outside a Foo Fighters performance at a record store. The assault charge was dismissed, but Pavlik was fined $50 after he was convicted of disorderly conduct.

The previous year, Pavlik was convicted of OVI and disorderly conduct in separate cases. He was ordered to pay fines in both instances.

In one of the more eye raising incidents which created a lot of punch lines, Pavlik ran out on a $25 cab fare in 2013. A tape of the 911 call surfaced, with the cab driver stating to police -"I got ripped off by that drunk f*** Kelly Pavlik."

Pavlik retired from boxing in 2013, partly due to a brain seizure that he says he suffered the year before.