Why Did Hopkins Lose To Taylor?

[C.T.D]

I was just wondering what people's opinions on this fight were.

I dont know what it was, but the media hype surrounding Hopkins had me thinking, before the fight, that he was unbeatable. He had defended his title 20 times, and was amongst the top 1 or 2 in the P4P rankings.

What was it about Taylor's style that beat Hopkins. Or do you think that the fight was a gift from the judge's. I have speculated both, but i have to say. If the judges came to a split decision then Taylor must have done something correctly to try and topple Hopkins. I very much doubt there was any corruption in the fight.

I am still waiting on downloading the fight, as i dont have HBO or Showtime, because i live in the UK. But the Howard Eastman fight was televised here and i learnt a lot about Hopkins style from that fight alone. He quite succesfully outboxed Eastman, a man known for his heavy hands, and perhaps this was his downfall against Taylor. I heard that he lost a lot of the early rounds against Taylor, but began to come back in the later part of the fight. Do you think it would have been better for Hopkins to add to his 32 Knock Outs, or would this just tire him out earlier and leave him exposed for a possible KO against him.

Personally, i wouldnt go as far as saying that if Hopkins went for a KO he would risk being knocked out. I rated his chin in the Eastman fight. He got hit with some nice shots and took them well. So i doubt that he would suffer a late KO. Either way it has set up a nice background to the coming fight in 2006.

Anyway what are your opinions on the first fight?

[Bozo_no no]

Because Duane Ford mistakinly gave the 12th round to Taylor.

[blockhead]

Because Duane Ford mistakinly gave the 12th round to Taylor.

exactly, hopkins won that fight if you ask me.

[C.T.D]

Because Duane Ford mistakinly gave the 12th round to Taylor.

Haha.

Ok so you would'nt argue that Taylor had the right gameplan on the night? By the sound of the reports, it would seem that Taylor quite purposefully tried to take the earlier rounds and then just survive the final ones and maybe even win one or two of them to leave him 3 rounds ahead, or something of that sort.

[blockhead]

Haha.

Ok so you would'nt argue that Taylor had the right gameplan on the night? By the sound of the reports, it would seem that Taylor quite purposefully tried to take the earlier rounds and then just survive the final ones and maybe even win one or two of them to leave him 3 rounds ahead, or something of that sort.

taylor looked over exited and agitated the whole fight. i think he got carried away and forgot his game plan. he was wild and throwing himself around the ring the whole fight and in the late round bhop started droping right handed bombs on his head. the best punch of the fight was when hopkins landed a huge right hand and the vaseline flew out of taylors cut on his head. it took off like a rocket.

[kbpoetree]

here it is again...Taylor did NOT win the fight according to this..hmmmm cant wait till Ford's book comes out..

Total Punches Landed / Thrown

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Hopkins	2/12	5/20	7/13	7/30	7/20	4/17	4/15	4/24	11/34	16/56	17/40	12/45
	17%	25%	54%	23%	35%	24%	27%	17%	32%	29%	42%	27%
Taylor	3/33	12/39	5/38	7/39	8/38	17/45	6/30	5/41	6/43	8/42	4/28	5/37
	9%	31%	13%	18%	21%	38%	20%	12%	14%	19%	14%	14%

[Bozo_no no]

Haha.

Ok so you would'nt argue that Taylor had the right gameplan on the night? By the sound of the reports, it would seem that Taylor quite purposefully tried to take the earlier rounds and then just survive the final ones and maybe even win one or two of them to leave him 3 rounds ahead, or something of that sort.

I was just playin.

Overall, I thought it was an even fight that could have gone either way.

I personally had it 115-113 Hopkins.

There were a lot of early rounds where Hopkins landed 2 or 3 power punches, and Taylor landed 8 or 9 jabs.

A majority of people had Taylor winning because of how he won so many of the early rounds, but I had a few for Hopkins, because in a lot of those rounds where Taylor was landing 8 jabs, he was throwing 30 and missing 70 or 80% of them.

In uneventful and close rounds, defense is an element of scoring, and I gave Hopkins credit in a few of the close rounds for taking Taylor's jab away.

In the end, Hopkins poured it on late, and there's no doubt he did more damage in the fight, but it was viewed as too little too late by a lot of people.

I have no problem with someone scoring the fight for Taylor.

It was close, and he did well considering his age and who he was in with.

I just happened to see it for Nard by a close margin.

Even though I was playin with my 1st answer, it has an element of truth to it. It was brutal that Ford scored the 12th for Taylor, and if he hadn't Hopkins retains his title.

Looking forward to the rematch though.

[Bozo_no no]

here it is again...Taylor did NOT win the fight according to this..hmmmm cant wait till Ford's book comes out..

Total Punches Landed / Thrown

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Hopkins	2/12	5/20	7/13	7/30	7/20	4/17	4/15	4/24	11/34	16/56	17/40	12/45
	17%	25%	54%	23%	35%	24%	27%	17%	32%	29%	42%	27%
Taylor	3/33	12/39	5/38	7/39	8/38	17/45	6/30	5/41	6/43	8/42	4/28	5/37
	9%	31%	13%	18%	21%	38%	20%	12%	14%	19%	14%	14%

I see what you're saying bro, but you can't just post stats and say they tell the whole story.

The contraversy in that fight is in how an individual scored many of the close early rounds.

In a fight that close, there isn't a clear answer worth getting angry about (talking about all the flame wars I've seen on here about it).

[kbpoetree]

I see what you're saying bro, but you can't just post stats and say they tell the whole story.

The contraversy in that fight is in how an individual scored many of the close early rounds.

In a fight that close, there isn't a clear answer worth getting angry about (talking about all the flame wars I've seen on here about it).

yep, i agree. the only real controversy in my opinion is the 12th round...wow hope Ford is enjoying his easily earned money

[TyrantT316]

well, the #1 reason obviously technical...the 12th round by Ford...

but Hopkins also somewhat has himself to blame for waiting too much early...

I don't think it is a style thing...don't think it is a reach thing...just a Hopkins feeling too comfortable to wait one too many rounds early