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Steward Sees Big Trouble for Hopkins in Taylor
By Scoop Malinowski
When asked if he thought the powerful jab of Jermain Taylor - not to mention the youth, hunger, strength and determination - would be severe trouble for undisputed Middleweight king Bernard Hopkins, Emanuel Steward quickly concurred.
"Yes, yep, yep, yeah, that's one of the fights that's a real, tough pick 'em and the slight edge I'm going with Jermain," said the Hall of Famer, before elaborating into a fascinating analysis. "I think that the one thing that all elder fighters have problems with when they get in their 30s is the jab - a young fighter with a fast left jab. Because the jab is the punch that is the shortest distance and you have very little time to see that because the reflexes are slowing. Guys who have jabs, they give all the fighters problems. And that's been just no exception. And I think that Jermain has a good jab, physically measures up to Bernard for one of the few times. And he also has a tough attitude. I mean, for all Bernard is, he's still like a bully, an intimidator, he's a bully-type guy. And Jermain - forget all that country baby boy talk - there's a look in Jermain - I know when I see too - and I think this will be - to me - the fight that will prove to me if Hopkins is as good as people who are listing him in the history books. I don't feel that way. I feel that he's a good middleweight that just happens to be along at the right time, when the middleweight division is the worst that it's ever been in history. And I think that's why he's been able to win all those fights. But when you look at the credible big names that he's ever beat - Trinidad, a welter/junior middleweight - Oscar de la hoya - a welterweight that brought himself up to middleweight - that's all. But he hasn't had to fight too much. Closest fight roughly he had was with Antwun Echols which was still no world class big fight. He's been very fortunate. His record puts him in a position in history that I don't think he's, you know, really that (inaudible on audio tape replay). You can't fault him because all he can do is beat what's up there. And he's beaten everybody that was up there. But unfortunately he hasn't been in any great fights, but he did all he can do. To me, Jermain Taylor will be the first fighter he fights that, to me, that he will be tested, where I think he will fall.. All the other fights, I don't give him much credit, believe it or not. This is the fight that I'm looking at who I will determine the way I feel how he would have held up. And I think Jermain Taylor - even though he's young - presents that challenge."
By Scoop Malinowski
When asked if he thought the powerful jab of Jermain Taylor - not to mention the youth, hunger, strength and determination - would be severe trouble for undisputed Middleweight king Bernard Hopkins, Emanuel Steward quickly concurred.
"Yes, yep, yep, yeah, that's one of the fights that's a real, tough pick 'em and the slight edge I'm going with Jermain," said the Hall of Famer, before elaborating into a fascinating analysis. "I think that the one thing that all elder fighters have problems with when they get in their 30s is the jab - a young fighter with a fast left jab. Because the jab is the punch that is the shortest distance and you have very little time to see that because the reflexes are slowing. Guys who have jabs, they give all the fighters problems. And that's been just no exception. And I think that Jermain has a good jab, physically measures up to Bernard for one of the few times. And he also has a tough attitude. I mean, for all Bernard is, he's still like a bully, an intimidator, he's a bully-type guy. And Jermain - forget all that country baby boy talk - there's a look in Jermain - I know when I see too - and I think this will be - to me - the fight that will prove to me if Hopkins is as good as people who are listing him in the history books. I don't feel that way. I feel that he's a good middleweight that just happens to be along at the right time, when the middleweight division is the worst that it's ever been in history. And I think that's why he's been able to win all those fights. But when you look at the credible big names that he's ever beat - Trinidad, a welter/junior middleweight - Oscar de la hoya - a welterweight that brought himself up to middleweight - that's all. But he hasn't had to fight too much. Closest fight roughly he had was with Antwun Echols which was still no world class big fight. He's been very fortunate. His record puts him in a position in history that I don't think he's, you know, really that (inaudible on audio tape replay). You can't fault him because all he can do is beat what's up there. And he's beaten everybody that was up there. But unfortunately he hasn't been in any great fights, but he did all he can do. To me, Jermain Taylor will be the first fighter he fights that, to me, that he will be tested, where I think he will fall.. All the other fights, I don't give him much credit, believe it or not. This is the fight that I'm looking at who I will determine the way I feel how he would have held up. And I think Jermain Taylor - even though he's young - presents that challenge."
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