Meldrick Taylor

[grayfist]

In addition to Taylor's "Philly fighter tendency", there was the strange pep talk of Lou Duva prior to the start of the final round: Duva told Taylor he had to win the final stanza, although everyone watching (including two of the 3 judges) had Taylor way ahead on points (One judge had Taylor ahead by a single point). That may have added even more impetus to Taylor to engage Chavez up close in spite of the broken bones around his eye sockets, the blood swallowed...

[jabsRstiff]

The "Philly Fighter" thing is partly a myth.
Yes, we've produced a lot of warriors.....but we've had plenty of true technicians come out of my town:


Georgie Benton
Harold Johnson
Tyrone Everett
Bernard Hopkins
Jeff Chandler
Willie Monroe......to name a few.


BTW.....Taylor was getting what he got done against Chavez, on the inside. He was not "boxing" in the classic sense. He was simply going at it with Chavez, but getting there first & last, because of his incredible speed & ability to puts combos together. Unfortunately, Chavez's punches did far more damage, & Chavez was a freak of nature when it came to absorbing punches.