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I'm just curious about how good Taylor really is.
On one hand he fought even with Hopkins and Wright. Say what you want but those are still two very top guys and he was right there with them, having more natural ability at this time than either. However, ring history is filled with guys that based on amateur background and physical skills you would expect to be great but do not turn out that way...something is just missing ... guys like Johnny Bumphis, Bernard Taylor, Mark Breland and even Andrew Maynard come to mind.
Taylor may simply be a very good but not great fighter despite what appears to be great skills. It's interesting that Manny is talking so much here. It's not his style. It appears something has caught his eye somewhere and he's trying to motivate Taylor. I don't believe he has any reason to make Pavlik look bad. Why would he? It would diminish the luster off a huge Taylor win and all Manny's own accomplishment.
Steward in recent years has always talked up a bunch of BS to build up confidence in his often self-esteem challenged yet physically talented fighters. I remember him saying before Klitschko fought cruiserweight journeyman Eliseo Castillo that Castillo was a tougher opponent than Chris Byrd. He's been saying similar things regarding Cintron recently and how Kermit easily dominates all the other welters right now.
Taylor has natural ****iness but the criticism after his performances vs Wright, Ouma, and Spinks have affected him no question.
On one hand he fought even with Hopkins and Wright. Say what you want but those are still two very top guys and he was right there with them, having more natural ability at this time than either. However, ring history is filled with guys that based on amateur background and physical skills you would expect to be great but do not turn out that way...something is just missing ... guys like Johnny Bumphis, Bernard Taylor, Mark Breland and even Andrew Maynard come to mind.
Taylor may simply be a very good but not great fighter despite what appears to be great skills. It's interesting that Manny is talking so much here. It's not his style. It appears something has caught his eye somewhere and he's trying to motivate Taylor. I don't believe he has any reason to make Pavlik look bad. Why would he? It would diminish the luster off a huge Taylor win and all Manny's own accomplishment.
Steward in recent years has always talked up a bunch of BS to build up confidence in his often self-esteem challenged yet physically talented fighters. I remember him saying before Klitschko fought cruiserweight journeyman Eliseo Castillo that Castillo was a tougher opponent than Chris Byrd. He's been saying similar things regarding Cintron recently and how Kermit easily dominates all the other welters right now.
Taylor has natural ****iness but the criticism after his performances vs Wright, Ouma, and Spinks have affected him no question.
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