Who Is Protected Now? Jermain Taylor Ducks Carl Froch

[abadger]

Froch is no-one and has fought no-bodies. He's slow and fights with his hands by his sides against 'D' grade fighters.

Taylor should beat him EASILY.

What's the problem?

Taylor should be jumping for joy someone's offering him a MILLI to smoke a bum like this for an easy-pickings title.

Why would an ELITE fighter miss an opportunity like this?

This, basically is the whole point. He's ducking someone who according to his opposition, is a bum.

[BattlingNelson]

The facts:

The WBC ordered Carl Froch and Jermain Taylor, its #1 and #2 SMWS to face off for the WBC title imposing an August #1 deadline for purse bids.

The Froch Camp offered Taylor 1.25 millon dollars for the fight.

The Taylor camp have turned it down and prefer to face Jeff Lacy with no belt at stake.

My thoughts:

I fully understand that Jermain Taylor has had some nasty losses recently and needs to get back on his feet. My question? Why on earth can't the supposedly 'elite' Taylor, who has in the past beaten Bernard Hopkins, do this against Carl Froch, who in the past has beaten nobody.

I thought 'true champions fought the best', in this case it appears that Taylor is not even prepared to try to be a champion, and will not even fight the distinctly average.

Instead he is going to stay at home and take a payday by taking on Jeff Lacy, thats right, a US domestic fighter he should beat easily.

This my friends is what we call 'being protected'.

Thoughts?

It's all about economics: The question is: How much is Taylor going to get from fighting Jeff Lacy? My guess is that it is more than 1.25 mill. Should he get by Lacy (and that is NOT a sure thing), he can invite any beltholder (Bute, Kessler or Froch(?)) to come fight him at HBO while commanding a fairly big payday.

Taylor can get his titleshot at any time he wants.

[dstew]

He is ducking Froch right now. As we speak.

If ducking means he's taking a fight against a more accomplished guy who would look better on his resume for bigger money, then sure, he is ducking.

In that case, Calzaghe ducked Froch as well.

For the record, what differs about this situation and the Calzaghe/Pavlik situation is that Calzaghe's camp talked up Pavlik as a possible opponent before the Lockett fight and then did a complete 180, saying Pavlik wasn't in the same league as Joe. Meanwhile, Taylor has been talking about fighting Lacy since prior to being bumped to the #2 ranking by the WBC (he was #3 last month and #4 the month prior). Froch was never even mentioned until the WBC stepped in looking for a money guy to fight for their belt.

Also, Calzaghe could have easily picked Pavlik over Jones and gotten plenty of PPV buys and made huge sums of money, whereas HBO isn't even willing to discuss Taylor/Froch.

[Ray*]

I understand HBO dont want the Taylor/Froch fight....so that can be a sticky point also.

[abadger]

It's all about economics: The question is: How much is Taylor going to get from fighting Jeff Lacy? My guess is that it is more than 1.25 mill. Should he get by Lacy (and that is NOT a sure thing), he can invite any beltholder (Bute, Kessler or Froch(?)) to come fight him at HBO while commanding a fairly big payday.

Taylor can get his titleshot at any time he wants.

Annoying. Do you know what wil happen with the WBC belt now? Will they find another opponent for Froch?

[hunter1]

calzaghe always said he would probably fight roy after the hopkins fight. so him picking roy means hes ducking pavlik? pavlik was just a possible option

[Ray Ray]

This, basically is the whole point. He's ducking someone who according to his opposition, is a bum.

Some people just need to know the meaning of ducking...You're acting like the guy cant have a ****ing tune-up...Taylor just came off back to back losses (one which he was KO) He has fought more solid fighters than Froch but you have the nerve to say he's ducking Froch...I'm having a hard time understanding why you claim its a duck...I can easily say Calzaghe also ducked Froch himself and he ducking Pavlik (according to your logic)...Remember when Froch wanted a fight with Calzhghe and Calzaghe turned him down...It works both ways buddy.

Given the sitiuation...How is Taylor ducking Froch?

[dstew]

He is choosing: Jeff Lacy who is rubbish and offers nothing besides a fake marquee name and a little extra cash

over

A shot at the WBC title against a guy that he theoretically should beat, in a fight the WBC probably ordered for the express purpose of handing him the belt.

Again you are answering your own question and defeating your own argument. Hypothetically, Taylor should beat either one of these guys; one gives him money, the other a belt. He's taking the money. He's had a belt and knows that a victory over Lacy, combined with his popularity with HBO, can get him a bigger money title fight anytime thereafter.

[Double]

Protected? The last fight he took was against the MW champ who knocked him out four months prior. Don't you think you're going overboard a bit?

If after Taylor fights Lacy he continues to take what fans view as the easier fights, then I think it's fair to start the criticism. But this is ONE fight, coming off a string of title defenses against titleists or former titleists.

Also, say what you will about Lacy being the easier fight for no title, but he, unlike Froch, HAS held a belt before. He HAS fought elite competiton before, even if he lost. His name is without a doubt better on Taylor's resume.

If Taylor fights Froch now for a title and beats him, history will perceive it as a victory over an unproven Euro bum. You could easily argue that he would get LESS respect for such a win than a win over a once-beaten Lacy, who despite his poor showings the last two years has only lost to a top 3 p4p fighter.



Talk about ignorance.

Did he HAVE to go after the belts Hopkins held? No. He chose to.

Did he HAVE to have his first defense against Winky Wright? No. He chose to.

Die he have to fight Pavlik a second time, after ending the first fight curled up like a roly-poly on the canvas? No, he chose to.

And the Froch fight wouldn't earn him much respect (outside of hardcore fans) win OR lose. It would get him a title over a guy that hadn't fought anyone prior to Taylor... at least that would be how history writes it.

I understand the frustration; I do. I'm a fan. I want to see the best fights. But I've also noticed that some fans tend to want to dictate the sport and have no empathy whatsoever for the fighters they are so quick to lift up and tear down. There is not a fighter out there today who hasn't been criticized by someone for a choice he has made in his career. Everyone acts like it's the end of the ****ing world if they've got to wait three or even six more months to see the matchup they've been having masturbatory fantasies about 24/7 on a message board. Get over it. These fighters aren't just focusing on one fight at a time like we do; they're nursing careers. This is their livlihood. For you it's just a hobby... a passion at most.

Good ufckin' post kid, I will also add that Froch and Taylor are still both young, no need to rush this fight when it could be bigger down the road.

[BattlingNelson]

Annoying. Do you know what wil happen with the WBC belt now? Will they find another opponent for Froch?

I believe Pascal is getting in line.