Jermain Taylor appreciation time...

[Red_Menace]

Taylor is a tought competitor. He's a great puncher. He seems like a great guy. He will get better over the years, and he's definitely already a top fighter, because he gave Bernard Hopkins and Winky, two of the best defensive fighters, some of the most difficult fights of their careers.

Edit: I also apoligize for somewhat deraling this thread, so I'm going back to delete my original posts.

[blockhead]

taylor is simply awful. he got another gift from hbo. the middleweight division is in a sorry state.

[mic573]

What I don't get about people who say Taylor won the 12th is that TAYLOR DID NOTHING. If you cancel out the 1-2's that pushed Taylor back into the ropes a few times early, and the one flurry that Taylor threw and landed 2 punches, Wright still wins because:

-he was controlling the pace for the first 2 minutes

-he landed more punches

-he landed the best punch of the round in the straight left hand under 10 seconds that stopped taylor dead in his tracks

He thought he had the fight won so he fought a cautious round, but that's no reason to say he lost when he did more in the round.

He did all that but he's been a professional for a long time and he knows that he was basically in Taylor's hometown. He should of known that you can't win a fight that way.

[oldgringo]

I didn't want this to be a bash the fighters thread. The people you should take issue with if anyone are the judges, not either fighter. Both of them fought damned hard...showed their best stuff in my eyes.

I hope Taylor improves and I hope Winky has it in him to rematch Taylor and/or provide boxing fans with a few more great fights. Watching him fight is special at this point....he is a true technitian.

[King Jaffe Joffer]

i respect taylor, eventhough i think he lost his last fights

[oldgringo]

He did all that but he's been a professional for a long time and he knows that he was basically in Taylor's hometown. He should of known that you can't win a fight that way.

Well of course he wants to go and knock him out but he felt he had already won it, so why take the risk>? He said that **** after the fight (this isn't my opinion)..."they say I gave away the 12th round, but what did Taylor do? Nothing....so why does he win?"

It is pretty tough to understand.

[Parody]

I must give Taylor a hand for being a pretty classy guy. I didn't catch his post fight interview last night, but I saw it today and he was very level headed about the fight. I liked what he had to say.

He fought a hard fight and did his best against a tough-for-anyone opponent in Wright. Even though I had winky winning 7-4-1 (best case Taylor won 5 rounds) Taylor still gave a pretty good account of himself.

So Taylor gets some respect for me. Once he starts to win his fights more convincingly and steps out of this shady decision circle I (and his detractors in general) will give him more love.

A few other comments:

-Theres no way Taylor won the 12th.

-Chuck Giampa looks like a giant *****

-I wish someone could create a highlight reel showing every missed punch that Taylor threw...and then the ensuing comments made by Jim Lampley insisting that he busted up Wright with a savage combo.

-A funny moment was in the 7th when Taylor landed some good shots and Lampley fliiped out like, "Wright is BADLY BADLY HURT!!!!" and then Wright proceeds to land about 5-6 unanswered shots on Taylor.

No he did'nt win the 12th round, now please get over it already. if Gay ****ins gave Winky the last round, while the the two other judges and most people including Lennox Lewis (Who was rooting for Winky and favouring him all the time) felt that Taylor won it.

[Memorex]

Am I the only one that thinks, Taylor lost his last 3 fights? 3 gift decisons in a row. Taylor is a good fighter but he's a step below Hopkins and Wright.

[mic573]

Well of course he wants to go and knock him out but he felt he had already won it, so why take the risk>? He said that **** after the fight (this isn't my opinion)..."they say I gave away the 12th round, but what did Taylor do? Nothing....so why does he win?"

It is pretty tough to understand.

The keywords are "he felt he had already won". That doesn't mean he won or was winning the fight. He should of definitely taken the risk in the 12th round. This was a close fight and he knew it was a close fight so he should of done everything possible to get the win in the 12th round of a close fight. This wasn't like the Mosley or Trinidad fight where he clearly dominated and could celebrate a victory.

I can't have any sympathy for Wright because I feel he basically gave the fight away.

[Parody]

Am I the only one that thinks, Taylor lost his last 3 fights? 3 gift decisons in a row. Taylor is a good fighter but he's a step below Hopkins and Wright.

Yes you are the only one.