Q&A: Jermain Taylor!
November 3, 2005
www.fightnews.com
By Boxing Bob Newman

With exactly one month to go before the September 29th, WBC/WBO Middleweight Champion of the world Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor is in heavy preparations for his most anticipated defense to date, against WBC/WBO #1 challenger, Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik, in Atlantic City, New Jersey at Boardwalk Hall. Both fighters will have had exactly the same amount of time to rest and train since they both appeared on the same card with Pavlik winning an absolute slug-out against Edison "Pantera" Miranda via TKO7 and Taylor winning a against reigning IBF Jr. Middleweight champ Cory Spinks, via a 12-round split decision. As his training moves into high gear, Taylor was gracious enough to take time from his tight schedule to talk with FIGHTNEWS about his upcoming defense and his future plans…

Jermain, with approximately four weeks until your fight with Kelly Pavlik, how is training camp going?

Training camp is going just great. I'm very focused and looking forward to September 29th with my fight against Kelly Pavlik.

Where is camp, and if it's in Arkansas, are you able to keep out distractions?

I'm training in the Poconos Mountains, which is the first time I have ever had camp here. I've heard a lot about the Poconos and I know a lot of fighters have trained here. There are no distractions in camp, you are somewhat isolated up here, but that's ok. Very peaceful and I'm able to do a lot of fishing up here and like to fish. That's something I have never been able to do in a training camp, it helps me to relax and remain focused.

Are you sparring with any guys you can name who are trying to emulate the style of Pavlik?

I won't name any names, but we have some very good sparring partners who are able to emulate Kelly's style, very professional guys who really know how to push me. We know exactly how Kelly will fight me, it's really no secret what his game plan will be and I will be very well prepared for anything that he brings to the table.

Do you have a history with Pavlik in the amateurs?

Yes I do have history with Pavlik as amateurs. We fought in the Olympic trials I believe in 1999. I remember the fight and he fought a very good fight, but I got the victory, which I'm very happy about because I was able to advance and make the 2000 Olympic team.

What does he bring to the table as a challenger that might be unique over previous challengers? Also, what weaknesses do you think he may have that his previous opponents haven't exploited?

Well, considering I have fought 3 southpaws in a row, which is unique in itself, he's a right handed fighter. Styles make fights and Kelly has the style and is the kind of fighter I like to fight. I know exactly how Kelly will come in the ring and what his game plan will be. It's no secret. Regarding his weakness, I will pass on that question. I don't want to give my strategy or game plan away, but he has a lot more weaknesses than people think.

Before his fight with Edison Miranda, were you leaning one way or another on who you thought would win? If so, were your thoughts influenced on who you were more interested in facing?

I didn't give it a second thought because I had my own business to take care of that night with Cory Spinks..

Did you feel that Miranda had genuine power, and if so, were you impressed by Pavlik's ability to take that power flush on the chin?

Miranda has some power, but was I impressed? No. Impressed is not the correct word. I respected Pavlik's ability to take it flush on the chin.

Will the outcome of this fight determine your rumored move up to Super Middleweight, or is it just a rumor? Can you tell the readers in which division you'll be fighting next?

I have made it very clear to my promoter Lou DiBella and my advisors that this is my last fight at 160. I will be moving up to Super Middleweight.

Will your decision be more influenced by the potential opponents and their marketability in each division?

My decision is based on knowing my own body. I have been fighting at 160 since I turned pro in 2000 and with my body frame it's just difficult and not healthy to keep putting my body through the conditioning to make 160.

What are your thoughts on IBF belt holder Arthur Abraham or WBA counterpart Felix Sturm? Abraham plans his next fight in the U.S. Would he be worth staying at 160 for if U.S. fans got familiar with him?

I really don't have any thoughts on either one, but if I ever fight Arthur Abraham or Felix Sturm it will be at Super Middleweight. As I mention before this is my last fight at 160.

Switching gears a bit, in the build up to your last fight with Cory Spinks, you seemed a bit out of character at the press conferences- more on edge, outspoken, aggressive. There seemed to be a noticeable change from the relaxed "good-guy" image we've come to associate with you. Was it the comments of Miranda, or were a lot of different things getting under your skin at that time?

Well, maybe a little. I'm not a trash talker like some fighters, but if you get up in my face talking trash like Miranda was doing, I'm going to give it right back to you. I can walk the walk and talk the talk as well as anyone if I'm forced to. I had to send him a message right then and there.

How is life at home with the two ladies in your life, your wife Erica and your daughter Nia?

Actually it's more than two, Erica and I are proud parents of two daughters Nia and Tyra and another one the way. I love my family life very much and things could not be any better.

Tell us about your ritual during the ring introductions where you drag your feet on the ring canvas, as if gearing up for the charge like a bull. Is that the representation and who came up with the idea?

Well, when I first started boxing, my mentor, coach who really has been like a father to me Ozell Nelson told me I should think about having my own signature in the ring. Something that people would remember me by, so I came up with the idea of a bull getting ready to attack. That's how it all started and I get a lot of compliments about that from fans, so I guess it worked.

What about your nickname, "Bad Intentions?" What do you want it to mean about you and who came up with that?

I think it was back in 1998 my coach Ozell Nelson sent me to Marquette, Michigan to be with other fighters who had been sparring more on the international scene. Ozell wanted me to have more experience sparring with different styles. I developed a reputation of having Bad Intentions when I stepped into the ring because there was some very good experienced fighters up there, so I had to take a different attitude and they gave me that name and it stuck. It means just the way it sounds, I have Bad Intentions for my opponent when I step into the ring.

Since the beginning of your career, HBO and others involved making your profile public have made numerous mentions of you being the first Olympic boxer from Arkansas, first boxing medallist from Arkansas, neither of which is true. No disrespect here, but are you aware of "Big" John Tate, who won the heavyweight bronze on the legendary 1976 Olympic team? He was born in Marion, Arkansas and considered Arkansas his home, although he later lived and passed away in Knoxville, Tennessee.

I have heard of John Tate, but I don't think he lived in Arkansas all his life, I think he left at an early age. I have been in Arkansas all my life and I'm not even considering leaving. It's much easier for people in Arkansas to identify with me because I have been in Arkansas all my life and they have followed my career since I was a amateur.

Do you have any words for the readers of Fightnews before your fight on September 29th with Pavlik and regarding your future career?

This is my kind of fight, my kind of fighter to fight and the stage is set to showcase my talents. Kelly Pavlik will come to fight, no running, no holding...just the kind of fight I want.

Jermain, thank you for your time and best wishes on your upcoming fight and in the future!

Thank you.

Seeking the Truth about Jermain Taylor
Justin Hackman
08/20/2007 - Washington DC
www.tigerboxing.com

Murky. Not a choice word in describing a middleweight champion’s reign. But it’s the most accurate in describing Jermain Taylor’s tenure at 160 pounds since dethroning Bernard Hopkins via split decision. With four title defenses including a rematch win over Hopkins, a draw with Winky Wright and two wins over world-class 154-pounders, the once-dubbed “Heir Apparent’s” resume should speak for itself. But there is far too much gray area for that to be the case. Beyond his record on paper, Taylor’s fights tell the story of his murky reign.

When Taylor stepped in the ring with Hopkins for the first time, fans looked for answers. But they got neither after a decision that was debatable rather than decisive. The Arkansans bellowed that no one since Roy Jones back in 1993 had managed to keep “Executioner” from bullying his way in and that a rematch would be easier. The old school purists replied that Taylor was manhandled over the final four rounds, and that next time Hopkins would start fighting sooner to erase all doubt.

But Hopkins didn’t start sooner, and Taylor won this time by unanimous decision. Taylor corrected some mistakes in the rematch, such as jabbing with more conviction and throwing the right with more accuracy. But it still was not a dominating victory. No one wanted to see the champ win for a second time by simply neutralizing Hopkins’ attack with his sheer physical threat enough to earn a slim points victory. At the end of 2005, the only thing apparent about the “Heir Apparent” was that we did not want to see him the ring again with Bernard Hopkins for the third time.

Halfway through 2006, Taylor gained more of the public’s approval simply by agreeing to take on his third consecutive fight with a pound-for-pounder, than he did in his two wins over Hopkins combined. However, after the fight, Jermain Taylor’s moniker promptly changed from Bad Intentions to Bad Decisions, as many thought Winky Wright deserved the victory. For the third fight in a row, Taylor was out-landed and out-boxed yet still had a goose egg in the loss column.

His fans, again, found room for optimism: Taylor had done better than the likes of “Sugar” Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad and he dropped some impressive bombs on Wright, who looked exhausted late on. But he ought to have done better than the natural welterweights, and skeptics added that most of the bombs hit arms and gloves. Which point of view held more merit?

So the debate continued about Jermain Taylor amongst boxing fans. Neither side, however, could get a foothold on the truth, as the facts…remained murky.

We looked for definition in his two subsequent fights, the first of which was against Kassim Ouma. Here was a chance to shed light on his offensive abilities. In other words, if Taylor knocked out the smaller Ouma in style, we’d all have a clearer picture. He would show himself the dominant force we thought he was. He was just held in check by two defensive masters. Surely?

Again, the adequate answer slid away. Eager for a knockout, Taylor sloppily wasted away his energy in the early rounds as he trudged clumsily to an ugly decision victory. He then explored the other extreme in his next fight by hardly throwing any punches at all. Taylor swung for the fences against a guy who could walk through a brick wall in Ouma, and then tried to cautiously out-box a pure boxer in Cory Spinks when clearly, a more aggressive offense was called for, last May.

In a sport so honest and naked, it is hard to hide truth. Yet the answers often elude us. Taylor’s path since becoming champ has revealed nothing but two opposing and equally valid viewpoints. Often, the middle ground between extreme opinions has the most accuracy. But in this case, would that mean that Jermain Taylor is only an average boxer whose physical gifts have allowed him to squeak by the tough competition?

A lot is expected from Jermain Taylor, now 27-0-1 (17 KOs). And when a lot is expected, little forgiveness is offered when expectations are not met. Take away those expectations, take away the “Heir Apparent” status he earned pre-Hopkins, and give Taylor’s resume to a boxer of Carlos Baldomir’s ilk. Suddenly, the fighter is given a lot of credit for what he has achieved out of nowhere. But Taylor has had expectations heaped on him since he came out of the Olympics in 2000 and has been given every opportunity to shine.

In boxing, the cliché tells us a boxer is only as good as his last fight. In Taylor’s case, he currently finds himself in the public’s eye only as good as his last five. Some truth needs to be revealed about Taylor’s past through the present, as he has already attempted to do against Ouma and Spinks, but failed. The present is his challenge against Kelly Pavlik (31-0, 28). Contrarily, Pavlik is as good as his last fight – an aggressive knockout of Edison Miranda – and because of it, many would pick the undefeated fighter from Youngstown, Ohio to beat Taylor.

So this may be the perfect time for Taylor to finally make a powerful statement: Pavlik will provide him a violent confrontation, not a tedious standoff. He is fighting a guy who will give him every opportunity to show his truth: what he is made of. Instant gratification is certainly not a given in boxing, but a champion’s status still undefined after four world-class challengers is certainly rare. September 29th will not only bring excitement in the ring, but also will finally reveal the truth about Jermain Taylor and clear his murky past.

I sure hope Jermain Taylor wins.

Jermain Taylor – A Reign Wrongly Dismissed?
The Glassjaw Chronicles by Thomas Gerbasi (Sept 25. 2007)
www.maxboxing.com

Before we begin, let’s remove the names from the following equation to protect the innocent (or guilty). A young fighter comes up the ranks in the conventional way – slowly, surely, and with the right injection of quality journeymen, former champions on the downside of their careers, and fellow prospects tossed in the mix from time to time.

Four years into this process, a championship fight is secured. Now the fun begins. This young fighter wins the title over a certified future Hall of Famer. He defends it successfully for the first time against this same fighter, and then does the same via a 12 round draw against a former world champion who also has a pretty good case for a slot in Canastota. His next two defenses are over former world title holders who are also southpaws.

Yet there is no love for Jermain Taylor, a man who won the undisputed middleweight championship from Bernard Hopkins in 2005, defended it against Hopkins again in a rematch, fought to a disputed draw with Winky Wright, and then won 12 round decisions over former super welterweight champion Kassim Ouma, and former 147 and 154 pound champ Cory Spinks.

In 20 years, when you look back at that resume, you will mutter to yourself ‘damn, that was pretty impressive.’ But for now, Taylor is crucified from coast to coast for not decisively turning back the ageless Hopkins and the smaller Wright, Ouma, and Spinks.

And while there should be criticism for the amateurish mistakes Taylor still makes in the ring, when it comes down to it, if he is still so green, how come experienced former world champions can’t make him pay? Surely veteran tricksters like Hopkins and Wright had something in their substantial toolboxes to beat Taylor with ease. And where was Ouma’s 100 punch per round output against a supposedly robotic Taylor or the brilliance Spinks had shown against the likes of Ricardo Mayorga and Zab Judah in their first bout when he faced the Little Rock native?

I’m still waiting for the answer.

So when the above questions are greeted with silence, maybe there is something to be said for the 29-year old former Olympian, who, ironically, will be given more credit if he clearly beats or stops unbeaten Kelly Pavlik this weekend in Atlantic City than for his previous five fights combined.

And Pavlik, while talented and a rising star in the game, certainly doesn’t have a resume that compares to that of those Taylor has already turned back in defense of his title. Pavlik’s first 22 foes are non-descript with the exception of ‘The Contender’ season two winner Grady Brewer. Since then, he has posted wins over fighters who were at their best at 154 pounds (a common criticism of Taylor) – Ross Thompson and Bronco McKart, tough but limited Jose Luis Zertuche, and two fighters who quickly jumped to super middleweight after fighting Pavlik, as making 160 pounds was not an option any longer – Fulgencio Zuniga and Edison Miranda.

He is an exciting knockout artist though, and a conventional one at that. You won’t see Taylor looking perplexed at having to figure out the wily Hopkins or the southpaw stylings of Wright and Spinks while wondering why the frenetic Ouma suddenly became relatively docile when the bell rang against him when he faces Pavlik, who will come right at him and look to knock him out.

It’s the perfect style matchup for Taylor, and to many, this fight will determine whether the champion has been a well-promoted, well-marketed and well-protected bust, or if he is the real deal. It’s mind-boggling to be honest, especially when you look at the mythical pound for pound rankings and compare Taylor’s reign since 2005 to the early reigns of those currently taking up space there (and no, in the current pound for pound rankings of The Ring magazine, Taylor is not among the top ten).

The current boss at the top of the pound for pound ranks is Floyd Mayweather Jr., who won his first title in 1998 at 130 pounds by beating a legitimate champion in Genaro Hernandez. His first defense was against a solid contender in Angel Manfredy, and was then followed by defense over average Carlos Rios, Justin Juuko, and Carlos Gerena. Pretty Boy Floyd’s next prolonged reign was at lightweight, where he beat a good champion in Jose Luis Castillo, defended it against the Mexican in a rematch, and then fought and beat average contenders Victoriano Sosa and Phillip Ndou.

Philippine icon Manny Pacquaio sits atop many pound for pound lists himself, but his early reigns at flyweight, super bantamweight, and super featherweight haven’t set the world on fire either. He lost his flyweight crown in his second defense, fought decent but not earthshattering competition at 122 pounds (Lehlo Ledwaba, Agapito Sanchez, Jorge Julio, Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym, Emmanuel Lucero) and while he hasn’t won an accepted world title at 130 pounds, if you look at his resume since beating Erik Morales in their 2006 rematch, he has beaten a faded Morales in their rubber match, a faded Oscar Larios, and unbeaten but untested Jorge Solis. He will fight another former foe with a short shelf life in previous victim Marco Antonio Barrera on October 6th.

Two men Taylor has gone 36 rounds with, beating one twice and drawing with the other, are also on the list, Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright. When Hopkins won his middleweight title by beating Segundo Mercado in 1995 and then began a decade long reign of terror that was ended by Taylor, his first four defenses were against non-descript names Steve Frank and Bo James, unbeaten but raw Joe Lipsey (who retired after the fight) and former world champion John David Jackson (who entered the fight having lost two of his previous five fights and was coming off a loss to 9-6 Abdullah Ramadan five months earlier). As for Wright, who garnered no sympathy for his draw with Taylor after sitting on a supposed lead in the final round, his first reign at 154 pounds held the man he won the title from Bronco McKart, along with Ensley Bingham, Steve Foster, and Adrian Dodson, before he lost the title to the most talented name of the bunch, unbeaten Harry Simon. His second reign wasn’t any more distinguished as he beat Robert Frazier for the vacant title and followed up with wins over Jason Papillion, Bronco McKart, JC Candelo, and Angel Hernandez. Yet Wright, whose only win in his last three fights is over an over the hill Ike Quartey, still makes the pound for pound list.

In fact, going down the rest of the list, where Israel Vazquez’ first 122-pound run as champion and Rafael Marquez 118-pound run were hit in miss in terms of top-notch, world-class opposition, and Joe Calzaghe’s initial defense list (like much of his reign) is laughable at best, only Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto compare in quality to Taylor. Hatton, once he took the IBF junior welterweight title from Kostya Tszyu, defended it against current or former world champions Carlos Maussa and Jose Luis Castillo, unbeaten up and comer Juan Urango, and will next fight future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr. And that’s not even including a win in the middle over welterweight titlist Luis Collazo. As for Cotto, after beating unproven Kelson Pinto to win the 140-pound crown, he defended his title against former or future champions Randall Bailey, DeMarcus Corley, and Ricardo Torres, as well as former Olympic Gold medalist Mohammad Abdullaev. Sure, Corley and Bailey were past their primes, but they were still quality foes. At welterweight, the Boricua Bomber hasn’t missed a beat, winning the vacant crown against Carlos Quintana, and beating perennial contender Oktay Urkal and former two-division champ Zab Judah. Next up is superstar Shane Mosley.

Jermain Taylor’s name is nowhere to be found though. And who knows the reasoning behind such a decision. Maybe it’s because that jarring left jab and follow-up right cross has replaced any sort of combination punching. Maybe it’s because he didn’t convincingly beat a 40-year old man (Hopkins) over 24 rounds or knock out smaller fighters like Wright, Ouma, or Spinks. Maybe people just don’t like his promoter Lou DiBella, his trainer Emmanuel Steward, the fact that he isn’t as accessible as some of the other big names in the sport, or that he has been allowed to grow up on HBO.

Who knows the real reason, but when personal feelings go out the door and everything is spelled out and revealed in black and white terms, there is no doubt that Taylor’s reign hasn’t been the disaster most deem it to be. In fact, even though his 27-0-1 record has its share of question marks in terms of fighting carefully picked opposition, the wins (and the one draw) he has over world-class competition in his last five fights can’t be dismissed, especially when you compare him to his peers at the top of the game.

Has he won ugly? Sure. But when the 1980 Cleveland Browns made a habit of winning (and losing) the close ones, they were immortalized as ‘The Kardiac Kids’. Taylor, on the other hand, is ridiculed for razor-thin verdicts with Hopkins, Wright, and Spinks. When it comes down to it though, if Taylor knocks out Kelly Pavlik on Saturday, he will be a hero on Sunday, despite Pavlik being the least accomplished name on his championship ledger.

Taylor ready for Pavlik!
Doesn’t Know Why But Glad It’s a “Hype Fight”
www.fightnews.com
September 25, 2007
By David L. Hudson Jr.

Undefeated WBC/WBO middleweight champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor eagerly awaits Saturday's showdown with #1 contender Kelly Pavlik in what he terms “a hype fight.” What baffles Taylor is why so much attention has been placed on his undefeated opponent – a fighter the champion views as “not even on my level.”

Taylor understands why there was hype for this two battles with longtime middleweight kingpin Bernard Hopkins and his showdown with the talented and tough Ronald “Winky” Wright. He doesn’t comprehend why such attention has been foisted on Pavlik – though he quickly reiterates he’s glad for the extra attention circling the HBO-televised event. “I like these types of fights; that’s what I live for.”

“I’ve been watching tapes of him and I don’t see him doing nothing,” Taylor says. “He is a strong fighter but he doesn’t excite me. To me he’s a normal fighter. … I don’t see what all the hype is about.”

The champion acknowledges that Pavlik – whom he defeated in the amateur ranks years ago in a fight he can’t recall – is “strong” and “game” but doesn’t believe he possesses the skills, speed and tools to deal with his arsenal. He relishes the opportunity to face a fighter “who comes to fight”, obviously contrasting Pavlik with his last challenger, the evasive Cory Spinks.

“He [Pavlik] comes straight forward and is not slick at all,” the champion says. “He’s not fast but he’s a game guy and comes to fight.” Taylor recognizes that he’s received criticism for his less-than-stellar performances in his defenses against former junior middleweight champions Kassim Ouma and Spinks. “After I whup him [Pavlik], maybe I’ll get a little credit,” he says.

Taylor continues his tutelage under Hall-of-Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, who replaced his longtime previous trainer Pat Burns after the second Hopkins fight. When asked why he switched trainers, Taylor said he listened to the advice of his longtime mentor Ozell Nelson. “That was Ozell Nelson’s decision,” Taylor says. “He’s been with me all my life. … When Ozell says it’s done, it’s done. That’s the man I look to for guidance.” Taylor maintains respect for Burns but adds he continues to learn much from Steward. “I think Manny is a great trainer,” he says.

When asked about the future, Taylor says he would like to face undefeated super middleweight Joe Calzaghe, assuming he defeats Mikkel Kessler in their upcoming showdown. “Joe is on my radar,” he says. “Tell him I’d love to fight him.”

But make no mistake, Taylor remains focused on Pavlik and September 29th. He insists this has been a great camp and he’s primed to show the world why he’s one of the best fighters in the world. His promoter Lou DiBella echoes that this is the “most focused and together I’ve seen Jermain in any recent camp.”

Tune in September 29th on HBO to see whether the “hype fight” lives up to its advance billing.

Jermain Taylor: Looking for respect
www.15rounds.com
By Robert Morales

Jermain Taylor is 27-0-1 with 17 knockouts, and he’s defended his two middleweight belts four times since he won them from Bernard Hopkins in July 2005.But he hasn’t exactly received a lot of kudos.

Plenty of experts thought he lost his defense against Winky Wright, but he was able to retain his belts with a draw. Several in the know also thought Taylor never won the belts from Hopkins in the first place, but the judges did. And after a subsequent defense against Hopkins and the aforementioned push with Wright, Taylor had the audacity to defend his belts against former junior middleweight champions Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks.

Instead of respect, Taylor has for the most part received criticism for not living up to his potential, and for taking on a couple of little guys so he can perhaps keep possession of his belts just a little longer. Taylor on Monday was asked about all the unflattering talk about his career, and just how much it bothers him.

“At first, it did,” Taylor said, “but it comes with the territory. I could have looked great against them (Ouma and Spinks), and still would have been criticized for whatever reasons. I can erase all of that with Kelly Pavlik and I plan on doing just that.”

Bingo! That’s exactly what will happen if Taylor decisively defends his belts against the hard-hitting, top-ranked Pavlik on Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. (HBO will televise).

Pavlik, see, is being picked by a lot of experts – including this one – to take Taylor’s two crowns. These days there are plenty of fighters who get ranked No. 1 by a governing body who are not deserving of such status. Pavlik is very deserving. The 25-year-old from Youngstown, Ohio, is 31-0 with 28 knockouts. In his last fight in May, he stopped another top contender, Edison Miranda, in the seventh round. Pavlik has stopped his past eight opponents. Taylor, on the other hand, has gone the distance in his past five fights. He can perhaps be forgiven for not stopping Hopkins or Wright, but he never even came close to stopping Ouma or Spinks inside the distance.

Indeed, Taylor can shut up everyone with a clear victory over a fighter some are already putting in their top 10 pound-for-pound polls even though he hasn’t won a major title – yet.

“I’m very motivated for this fight because a lot of people are picking Kelly to win this fight and I have taken a lot of negative hits lately,” Taylor said. “So, I’m very motivated to make a statement with this fight.”

Part of the knock on Taylor is that he doesn’t appear to utilize his God-given ability to its fullest. One minute, he is staying busy and looking every bit the world champion that he is. The next he seems almost confused, as if he is having a hard time sustaining his rhythm. The feeling here is that Taylor, even at 29, has not yet reached his potential. But the answers he gave for this interview make one think that he just might be starting to get it. In other words, he knows he has underachieved, but there is no way in heck he is going to stop until he fulfills every ounce of promise.

“I’m still learning as a professional fighter,” Taylor said. “I will be the first one to admit that. I just have to be patient and learn from my mistakes and continue to mature and better myself mentally and physically. Everything will fall into place for me. I’m confident of that.”

Taylor might have something here. OK, so he hasn’t come off as a terrific middleweight champion. But he believes that fighting Hopkins back-to-back and then three consecutive left-handers in Wright, Ouma and Spinks is going to pay dividends in the long run. Fighting a tricky guy like Hopkins followed by a tricky lefty like Wright followed by the other two lefties was, in Taylor’s mind, all good. He may have looked discombobulated at times, but it is he who will reap the benefits.

“Actually, fighting Bernard twice and Winky was great experience for me,” Taylor said. “Bernard and Winky are real professionals and I learned a lot fighting them, which was good experience I can put under my belt. I think fighting three southpaws back-to-back-to-back was a real adjustment for me. I can’t think of any fighter who has fought three southpaws in a row where they were all good fighters.”

Taylor, of Little Rock, Ark., is a terrific guy. One would be hard-pressed to find an athlete who loves his home state the way he does.

“I bleed Arkansas,” he said. “If you notice, I don’t have ‘Little Rock’ on my trunks, I have ‘Arkansas’ because home means a lot to me and I like representing my home state. It’s very important to me not to go home losing a fight. I know everyone loses sometimes, but that’s something I don’t want to think about.”

Yes, Taylor is that athlete who loves everyone and is loved by everyone. Reporters might criticize his showing in the ring, but they could never get on him about his character because he treats people with respect and humility.

But in this day and age, that doesn’t seem to go as far as it used to. Until Taylor goes into that ring foaming at the mouth, ready to take apart his opponent and show no mercy, he is going to be looked at with some disdain because he is not taking full advantage of his physical talents.

Taylor can change all that Saturday. But in the minds of many, that’s not going to happen because Pavlik is loaded with talent as well as the disposition to put it to good use.

The time is now for Taylor to make us appreciate him. The heat is on.

A "perfect matchup" for Taylor is a soft punching Jr. Middleweight who has Pavlik's style. Oh wait, that would be Kassim Ouma...

Face it Jermain has already looked bad against several styles he should have dominated; a 40+ yr old man who throws 20 punches a round? Taylor lost to him twice. A nearly 40 yr old Jr. Middleweight with no power, but who backed him up anyway. (draw or lost) An even lighter punching Jr. Middleweight who thows wild and is open to a puncher with any skill? Backed JT up and made him look terrible. An even softer punching Jr. Middleweight (how low can you go) who looks to dance all night, and poses zero danger? Lost to him (you can argue JT won, but it was a wash)

The deciding factor in this fight is intelligence and mental strength; for all the natural physical gifts Taylor may have, he is as dumb as a post, and his will power is non-exsistent. He has not imposed his will on any fighter in the last two years, since he stopped fighting washed up bums. Which means he will be fighting Pavlik's fight. Which means he will be losing.

Jermain won't throw enough punches to win by a wiide decision, let alone a wiiiiiiiiiiiiide decision. If he wins at all, it'll be another thin as a paper decision.

Here's how it goes down; I think Taylor is going to come out ultra aggressive, and perhaps surprise Pavlik for a round or so. Then Pavlik gets rolling and Taylor's bravado will drain away like a sink slowly emptying out. Shortly past the midway point of the fight, after eating big shots for a few rounds everytime he pulls back, you'll see the look in his eyes, and it will tell you that he would rather be anywhere else in the world... then he gets caught on the ropes and Pavlik bombs him out.

Uh..I thought the fight has already happened and Taylor has lost. Why are you posting about the fight today?

I am whoring. :))

Didnt you see the tech articles I posted in Tecjh Talk? :)

Nope

Read my thread in Asylum. You'll get a better idea. lol.

Is it the thread about you not being able to study ?

Is it the thread about you not being able to study ?
About medicines... :)

http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26264

Anyways Fuck it.

What does it have to do with the posting of this thread?

What does it have to do with the posting of this thread?
I was dazed man. I didnt knew what I was posting.