I don't understand why people are up in arms about Tayor v Wright

[vB Martin]

Ok, he gave 2 very lackluster performances against Hopkins, winning disputed decisions both times. I think we can all agree on that.

Now everyone is calling him a ***** for not immediately fighting Wright after the biggest fights in his still young career, as if it is something completely unprecedented, so let's take a look at what some beloved ex-champions here did after they won the middleweight title:

Roy Jones, Jr:

• 1993-05-22 Bernard Hopkins (22-1-0) (Won the vacant IBF title)
• 1993-08-14 Thulani Malinga (35-8-0) 10 Rd Non-Title Fight
• 1993-11-30 Fermin Chirino (12-7-2) 10 Rd Non-Title Fight
• 1994-03-22 Danny Garcia (25-11-0) 10 Rd Non-Title Fight
• 1994-05-27 Thomas Tate (29-2-0) (Finally defended it a year later)

Bernard Hopkins:

• 1995-04-29 Segundo Mercado (18-2-1) (Won Vacant IBF Belt)
• 1996-01-27 Steve Frank (15-2-1)
• 1996-03-16 Joe Lipsey (25-0-0)
• 1996-07-16 William James (20-6-1)
• 1997-04-19 John David Jackson (35-2-0)
• 1997-07-20 Glen Johnson (32-0-0)

So, apparently it's ok for RJJ to fight 3 non-title fights then defend his title once, a year later, against a tomato can before moving up in weight.
I guess it's also ok for Bernard to go 5 fights and 2 years before fighting a recognizable name.
It's not ok, though, for Taylor to have a single showcase, likely against a top contender, in his hometown before fighting arguably the best in the division.

Someone care to explain this to me?

[vB Martin]

Where are you Super_Lighweight? You gave me bad karma for saying this in another thread. Now that you have the actual records in front of you, you don't care to comment?

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

The resume of Jones is a bit better than Hopkins. Thomas Tate was one of the most feared middleweights at one point, especially around the time Jones fought him. Malinga was also very dangerous, around that time he sent Nigel Benn into retirement. I could be wrong, but I dont think Malinga had that many losses when he fought Jones. If that record is from boxrec, it's likely wrong.

[TOPitBull]

RJJ and B-Hop

Actually WON the titles in the first place.

The fans were sold.

Taylor cannot fool anybody. He won controversially.

He needs to actually beat somebody, before he is respected.

[vB Martin]

Tate was, at one time, feared, but not by the time he got to Roy. He primed early and was never quite the same fighter after losing to julian Jackson.

Malinga was well past his prime when he fought Jones, having been in maky tough fights ver his 12 years career prior to that fight.

And I would argue that Hopkins had a better post-title resume simply because he always fought for the belts, but I think that's a subjective thing.

I just want someone to explain to me why these 2 fighters are heroes when they fought far less than stellar fighters after winning the title, yet Taylor is considered to be a dog for wanting to fight a top-ranked guy.

[Kimmy]

Taylor has had two hard fights so in many ways he deserves an easy title defense. However, many are questioning the victories over Hopkins and this also questions his valdility as champion.
People want Taylor to fight Wright so that a clear winner and true undisputed champion is found. Taylor's questionable title victories are clouding his championship status, so in the long run it would be better to fight Wright as soon as possible. Wright is also the mandatory.

[vB Martin]

RJJ and B-Hop

Actually WON the titles in the first place.

I would agree that RJJ won the title, but Hopkins fought an "opponent" to be handed the title. Subtle difference there.

[Mr. David]

Plenty of non-American champions, especially those in the lower weight classes, will make non-title or over-the-weight fights in-between bouts with name fighters or title defenses. The main issue is the amount of time between bouts. If the "easy" fight is done six months after attaining a title or retaining the belts, and then the next fight is six months later, then it is bothersome.

To Jones' credit, those three over-the-weight bouts were all two to three months after each other, although I dislike the amount of time before his next defense.

Hopkins' fights were all defenses, although I don't know why there was nine months between Mercado and Frank, or the same length between James and Jackson. Everything else was close together, though.

Taylor and DiBella have made indications that a Wright fight, should it come, would be in late summer. That's fine, that's about eight months away or so, so if there's the tune-up for a build-up in-between, it follows the same sort of path.

Excellent post, and good point in that Taylor and DiBella are considering names like Sturm, contenders in their own right, for the tweener.

[restless_438]

Taylor should fight Wright next because WRIGHT deserves and has earned it. As far as im concerned, it has nothing to do with Taylor.

If Taylor gonna be "PROCLAIMED MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION", he's going to have to deal with what comes with that title, fighting other top ranked opponents, and Wright is first in line.

And luckily it's not Taylor going back and having people compare what other fighters (jones, hopkins, whoever) have done when they became champ or i would lose respect for him. Be your own man. The past is in the past. Act like a champion and fight him.

[vB Martin]

How has Wright earned it? By being the champ at 154? By beating Trinidad, who just stood there like a punching bag? By a lackluster performance against a circus freak last week?

That last one may be the right answer. After all, Taylor won the belts in a lackluster performance and defended it the same way.

It still doesn't answer my question about why the other 2 guys are allowed crap opposition for a year or two, but Taylor must immediately jump in against arguably the best. I just want to know why Taylor is held to different rules.