Jermain Taylor likely to return Dec 30th on ShoBox.

Just to play devil's advocate about Taylor's comeback; some people are going to be against it regardless, but it looks like he's got it in his head to return and the commissions aren't going to stop him, so with that said, it LOOKS like he's going about his comeback the right way. He plans to fight as a MW and is walking around near 160. Here's what seems to be a recent shot of him (from his twitter account): http://a2.twimg.com/profile_images/1578801494/image.jpg I don't think I've seen him in that kind of shape since his days as MW champ - it almost looks like he could make 154 lbs (not that I think it would be safe). It's well known that he usually ballooned up to around 200 lbs between fights, and that each one of his losses were 99% attributable to lack of conditioning. So whether or not everyone agrees with his decision to fight again, I don't think anyone can argue the point that at the very least he seems to be making a genuine effort to learn from and correct his mistakes.

I understand where you're coming from, even though I disagree with you and thought Taylor won the fight. Some fights are clearcut even though it's technically close. I strongly feel that way about Malignaggi-Diaz I. That was 7-5 Paulie. Paulie-Diaz is a GREAT example.

Yes 115-113. No way. It's an arguable perspective IF I gave winky spin rounds, which I did not. The 7 rounds winky won were CLEAR rounds, whilst the 5 he lost, 4 of them were clear and there is a seriously questionable one (the 12th, which Many gave JT because Winky used his bike.. but peopel fail to realize WINKY was the only person who landed punches in that round.. JT was only given it because Wink backed up) So yeah, i don't think there is anyway JT won when 7 rounds were CLEARLY to Winky and depending on how you look at teh 12th (which I give JT now to be generous) it would be 8-4. So pretty much, there is no way, absolutely no way anyone could NOT give winky the 7 rounds I feel as though he won. They were dominant rounds where he kept jermaine in the corner and ruined him, even stunning him several occasions. People called the fight close for the body hooks taylor would throw at wrights elbows and arms and I personally don't score blocked punches. If i did, I'd have Alexander pitching a shut out against Kotelnik when really i thought ti was the other way around. I had kotelnik 9-3 and it wasn't even close. To each their own though Total Punches Ronald "Winky" Wright 226/642 Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor 163/703 I understand where you're coming from, even though I disagree with you and thought Taylor won the fight. Some fights are clearcut even though it's technically close. I strongly feel that way about Malignaggi-Diaz I. That was 7-5 Paulie.

Ward beats Froch. Bute refuses to fight anywhere but Montreal. Ward moves up to 175 to fight for a belt. Bute fights Taylor. You heard it here first.

taylor vs dirrel....make it happen...

"I had him winning by ONE ROUND! OBVIOUS ROBBERY!" Jesus, shut up already. ? Who had him winning by 1 round? and what fight?

For a good reason too. He had all those gift decisions it was like impossible to beat him by decision. He's only lost by KO right? SO I guess it still stands. Only way to beat JT is by KO!! Pavlik beat him by decision!!

"I had him winning by ONE ROUND! OBVIOUS ROBBERY!" Jesus, shut up already.

I would understand saying "8-4, no way he won that fight" or "9-3/10-2, No way Taylor won that fight"...But come on, 7 rounds to 5..."no way Taylor won that fight". You had Winky winning 115-113, it's obviously a close fight based on your scorecard, you can't say something like no way he won that fight. In your scorecard, if some one disagrees with a round you gave to Winky, and gives it to Taylor, that's 6-6 a Draw. A comment like "the fight was close IMO, but should have gone to Winky 115-113" is more suitable for the score you gave. Yes 115-113. No way. It's an arguable perspective IF I gave winky spin rounds, which I did not. The 7 rounds winky won were CLEAR rounds, whilst the 5 he lost, 4 of them were clear and there is a seriously questionable one (the 12th, which Many gave JT because Winky used his bike.. but peopel fail to realize WINKY was the only person who landed punches in that round.. JT was only given it because Wink backed up) So yeah, i don't think there is anyway JT won when 7 rounds were CLEARLY to Winky and depending on how you look at teh 12th (which I give JT now to be generous) it would be 8-4. So pretty much, there is no way, absolutely no way anyone could NOT give winky the 7 rounds I feel as though he won. They were dominant rounds where he kept jermaine in the corner and ruined him, even stunning him several occasions. People called the fight close for the body hooks taylor would throw at wrights elbows and arms and I personally don't score blocked punches. If i did, I'd have Alexander pitching a shut out against Kotelnik when really i thought ti was the other way around. I had kotelnik 9-3 and it wasn't even close. To each their own though Total Punches Ronald "Winky" Wright 226/642 Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor 163/703

I had Pavlik-Taylor II, 115-113 for Taylor. And I remember a couple of sports news sections also had the same score, including The New York Post. But I think since it was a close fight, the judges gave it to the champion. But at least a draw would have been okay. Pavlik at the time was also the great white hype and the undefeated fighter that HBO loved and had thrown Taylor under the bus for him. America was in need of a good white fighter, so with all of that going his way, that's why he got such wide scores in such a close fight. Hey Kev. I scored it the same way as you when I watched it live. I was disappointed when the scored were read. I've watched the fight a few times since and have scored for Pavlik. I don't know if I'm leaning to convention when I score now though. It's a close fight for sure. I would have liked to have seen a draw :) Absolutely, the time was right for Pavlik at that moment. Also the fact that the judging was panned in Pavlik-Taylor 1 (when people were surprised to learn the judges had Taylor up going into round 7), I believe effected the judging in the second fight.

7-5 WRight, I've watched that fight so many times now. One of my favorites, it's a damn good fight. But there is NO way he won that fight. I would understand saying "8-4, no way he won that fight" or "9-3/10-2, No way Taylor won that fight"...But come on, 7 rounds to 5..."no way Taylor won that fight". You had Winky winning 115-113, it's obviously a close fight based on your scorecard, you can't say something like no way he won that fight. In your scorecard, if some one disagrees with a round you gave to Winky, and gives it to Taylor, that's 6-6 a Draw. A comment like "the fight was close IMO, but should have gone to Winky 115-113" is more suitable for the score you gave.

I thought I read something recently(cant remember if Fat Dan wrote it or someone else) that Taylor's return was going to be at MW and not at SMW. Can anyone clarify this? That's what I read as well. It's gonna be 160. When this came out, he was supposedly already close to 160 and he's been taking training very seriously with his old trainer. Maybe they pushed his comeback further because he needs more time to get down to 160 in a healthy manner. And that's good because I don't want to see a weak, weight drained Taylor.

Dunno what gift decisions you are talking about. The two closest fights he had post-Hopkins were Spinks and Wright. He deserved the nod in the Spinks fight, and I thought the draw result in the Wright fight was the most worthy scoring of a draw I've seen. And as somebody mentioned, Pavlik beat him by decision. That was a close fight too, but the judges slided too far Pavlik's way, though I admit Pavlik did enough to win. I had Pavlik-Taylor II, 115-113 for Taylor. And I remember a couple of sports news sections also had the same score, including The New York Post. But I think since it was a close fight, the judges gave it to the champion. But at least a draw would have been okay. Pavlik at the time was also the great white hype and the undefeated fighter that HBO loved and had thrown Taylor under the bus for him. America was in need of a good white fighter, so with all of that going his way, that's why he got such wide scores in such a close fight.

jermaine taylor v bika plz. i think that would be a good testing fight if taylor wants to come back. Taylor is coming back to 160 last I read, not 168.

I thought I read something recently(cant remember if Fat Dan wrote it or someone else) that Taylor's return was going to be at MW and not at SMW. Can anyone clarify this?

I like Taylor hopefully he can get some decent wins and retire without being kod again.

Dunno what gift decisions you are talking about. The two closest fights he had post-Hopkins were Spinks and Wright. He deserved the nod in the Spinks fight, and I thought the draw result in the Wright fight was the most worthy scoring of a draw I've seen. And as somebody mentioned, Pavlik beat him by decision. That was a close fight too, but the judges slided too far Pavlik's way, though I admit Pavlik did enough to win. 7-5 WRight, I've watched that fight so many times now. One of my favorites, it's a damn good fight. But there is NO way he won that fight. I also cried robbery after teh Spinks fight initially too though, but that was just from an enthusiast POV. If you look at it as challenger refusing to "take" the title from champion though, then yeah, he didn't even get close to winning then.

He had a brain bleed.... never put him in there with a top level fight again please. I see it now.. Judging by the level of competition Bute keeps fighting over and over again, Taylor will probably land that fight and be permanently injured by an Uppercut.

After the 2 Hopkins fight Taylor was never the same.

For a good reason too. He had all those gift decisions it was like impossible to beat him by decision. He's only lost by KO right? SO I guess it still stands. Only way to beat JT is by KO!! Dunno what gift decisions you are talking about. The two closest fights he had post-Hopkins were Spinks and Wright. He deserved the nod in the Spinks fight, and I thought the draw result in the Wright fight was the most worthy scoring of a draw I've seen. And as somebody mentioned, Pavlik beat him by decision. That was a close fight too, but the judges slided too far Pavlik's way, though I admit Pavlik did enough to win.