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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Jermain Taylor has spent plenty of time studying his last fight -- a draw against Winky Wright in June.
"I watched that tape over and over and I just see all the mistakes I made," Taylor said. "It was the worst fight that I ever could have fought."
Taylor held a short public workout Monday night at Alltel Arena, the site of his next middleweight title defense Saturday night against Kassim Ouma. After moving around the ring for a bit, he talked about his hopes for this week's fight in his home state.
"All my championship fights have been close fights," said Taylor, a Little Rock native. "I'm not saying Kassim Ouma is a lesser opponent than anybody else. But I'm supposed to look good this fight."
Taylor became champion in July 2005 by outpointing Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas, then beat him there again that December in another decision. After that, Taylor fought a mandatory defense against Wright in Memphis, Tenn., and escaped with a draw.
Ouma, a left-handed native of Uganda, is not viewed as a pushover, and Taylor's camp has been hyping the challenger's reputation as an aggressive fighter. Ouma lost his junior middleweight championship in 2005.
Taylor, who has trained in Miami for this fight, said his preparation has been tailored to fit this opponent.
"Ouma's style is a pressure style," he said. "So all my sparring partners I had were young guys who are still fighting who come with a lot of pressure."
Monday's event was open to the public but sparsely attended -- but that didn't seem to bother Taylor, who has his own cutout in Little Rock's airport to greet incoming passengers. This will be his first fight in Arkansas since becoming champion, and he's eager to put on a good show.
He spent too much time on the ropes against Wright and kept his hands too low -- mistakes he sounds determined to eliminate. He's also had more time to work with the famed Emanuel Steward, who replaced Pat Burns as Taylor's trainer after the second fight with Hopkins.
"I feel like I'm still learning," the 28-year-old Taylor said. "I feel like Emanuel Steward came on -- he's teaching me all new things. Pat Burns -- still learning from stuff he taught me."
There's been talk Taylor will move up in class, perhaps to fight Joe Calzaghe for his super middleweight title.
For now, though, Taylor is looking forward to fighting Ouma, a much different boxer than the crafty veterans he's faced in his last three bouts.
"I'm the type of fighter -- let's fight, man," Taylor said. "Let's fight. If we're going to do it, let's do it.
"I watched that tape over and over and I just see all the mistakes I made," Taylor said. "It was the worst fight that I ever could have fought."
Taylor held a short public workout Monday night at Alltel Arena, the site of his next middleweight title defense Saturday night against Kassim Ouma. After moving around the ring for a bit, he talked about his hopes for this week's fight in his home state.
"All my championship fights have been close fights," said Taylor, a Little Rock native. "I'm not saying Kassim Ouma is a lesser opponent than anybody else. But I'm supposed to look good this fight."
Taylor became champion in July 2005 by outpointing Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas, then beat him there again that December in another decision. After that, Taylor fought a mandatory defense against Wright in Memphis, Tenn., and escaped with a draw.
Ouma, a left-handed native of Uganda, is not viewed as a pushover, and Taylor's camp has been hyping the challenger's reputation as an aggressive fighter. Ouma lost his junior middleweight championship in 2005.
Taylor, who has trained in Miami for this fight, said his preparation has been tailored to fit this opponent.
"Ouma's style is a pressure style," he said. "So all my sparring partners I had were young guys who are still fighting who come with a lot of pressure."
Monday's event was open to the public but sparsely attended -- but that didn't seem to bother Taylor, who has his own cutout in Little Rock's airport to greet incoming passengers. This will be his first fight in Arkansas since becoming champion, and he's eager to put on a good show.
He spent too much time on the ropes against Wright and kept his hands too low -- mistakes he sounds determined to eliminate. He's also had more time to work with the famed Emanuel Steward, who replaced Pat Burns as Taylor's trainer after the second fight with Hopkins.
"I feel like I'm still learning," the 28-year-old Taylor said. "I feel like Emanuel Steward came on -- he's teaching me all new things. Pat Burns -- still learning from stuff he taught me."
There's been talk Taylor will move up in class, perhaps to fight Joe Calzaghe for his super middleweight title.
For now, though, Taylor is looking forward to fighting Ouma, a much different boxer than the crafty veterans he's faced in his last three bouts.
"I'm the type of fighter -- let's fight, man," Taylor said. "Let's fight. If we're going to do it, let's do it.