Tweet
“There’s going to be a new sheriff in town,” is what promoter Lou DiBella said about his fighter Jermain Taylor concerning his July 16 showdown against Undisputed Middleweight Champion Bernard Hopkins at the MGM Grand in Vegas. “Despite his age, he’s still a dangerous fighter,” Taylor said. “I take nothing away from him. But my style will penetrate anything he has to offer. He’s getting older but he’s also getting smarter. But he has weaknesses and I plan on capitalizing on that.” When asked whether he is worried about being an underdog for the first time in his career, Taylor answered, “I’m not worried about it at all. It’s a different feeling, going into the ring first, and him second, but once we get in there, I’ll take care of business . . . I’m not only coming to fight, but I’m coming to win. My whole life has prepared me for this. It’s my turn.” Look for a full-feature story on Taylor early next week!
Wednesday, June 29 2005
Undisputed Middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins has big plans this year—and losing to challenger Jermain Taylor on July 16 is not his way of finishing out an extraordinary and historic career. “I will make Jermain Taylor look amateur,” Hopkins said today on a teleconference. “He’s been told to make this personal but it’s not really in his heart. He’s being programmed to say these things—that he’s bigger, he’s faster, he’s stronger—but when they get him into the ring, he’ll look around and see he’s alone. He’ll be left in there with the baddest man on the planet, Bernard Hopkins, who will let him know with the first punch thrown that it’s going to be a short night or a slow death . . . Jermain Taylor will be the whipping boy of my controlled frustration, and I’ll let it all go through my two fists.” Despite youth, size and quickness, Hopkins says his experience and all-around abilities will be the deciding factors: “Taylor is banking on youth, but can he handle everything Bernard Hopkins can do? No . . . I’ll take everything he does well and use it against him.” After his win over Taylor, Hopkins talked about moving up to light heavyweight to fight champ Antonio Tarver in what will be his Grand Finale: “Fighter Tarver motivates Bernard Hopkins. I won’t end my career fighting ‘Bums of the Month.’ . . . It’s about risk and about staying hungry.” Look for a two-part feature story on Hopkins next week!
*********.com
Wednesday, June 29 2005
Undisputed Middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins has big plans this year—and losing to challenger Jermain Taylor on July 16 is not his way of finishing out an extraordinary and historic career. “I will make Jermain Taylor look amateur,” Hopkins said today on a teleconference. “He’s been told to make this personal but it’s not really in his heart. He’s being programmed to say these things—that he’s bigger, he’s faster, he’s stronger—but when they get him into the ring, he’ll look around and see he’s alone. He’ll be left in there with the baddest man on the planet, Bernard Hopkins, who will let him know with the first punch thrown that it’s going to be a short night or a slow death . . . Jermain Taylor will be the whipping boy of my controlled frustration, and I’ll let it all go through my two fists.” Despite youth, size and quickness, Hopkins says his experience and all-around abilities will be the deciding factors: “Taylor is banking on youth, but can he handle everything Bernard Hopkins can do? No . . . I’ll take everything he does well and use it against him.” After his win over Taylor, Hopkins talked about moving up to light heavyweight to fight champ Antonio Tarver in what will be his Grand Finale: “Fighter Tarver motivates Bernard Hopkins. I won’t end my career fighting ‘Bums of the Month.’ . . . It’s about risk and about staying hungry.” Look for a two-part feature story on Hopkins next week!
*********.com
Comment