Jermain Taylor: Ready To Step Up

[ProBox1]

It is about time that Jermain Taylor takes on a legit 160 pound fighter. He has feasted on way too many blown up jr. middleweight and welterweight fighters. Two opponents are being thrown around for Taylor. There are media reports in the states that have Jermain lined up to face former middleweight champion William Joppy.

There other other reports all over the UK that Taylor is set to face Howard Eastman. One thing is for sure, Jermain will have a good test ahead of him. At the recent WBC convention, it was ruled that Taylor will have to face Eastman, in a WBC elimination bout for the right to fight Bernard Hopkins

In reality, I see no reason for Taylor to face Joppy. Joppy has been very inactive and retired after the beating he took from Bernard Hopkins. Eastman on the other hand is most avoided fighter in the middleweight division, the guy has been trying to get a big fight for several years with no takers whatsoever. [details]

[psychopath]

By all means stop the crap and step up.

[J !]

Hi Guys, let me give you a bit more info on Howard who is one of the most frustrating guys out there. Of latter years Howard had been strangely inactive and in defending his European title basically has become one of the "just enough fighters". Shrewd yes but his workrate at times is a tad low for above European level, a class fighter with good skills, we saw evidence of this against Joppy when instead of going for the kill he stood off and basically did himself no favours when it was there for the taking.

Howard has been defending his european title and basically stinking the place out, the most interesting thing bout Howard is his post fight interviews, guy is nuttier than squirrel ****.

Basically Howard doesnt have the style to sell PPV big against Hopkins, so when Nard is entering the stage of his career where he wants the big paydays then Howard isnt a draw.

Howard also has a tendency to piss off to his native Guyana for months at a time where he keeps up his love of tropical birds, relaxes and chills out. He then has to get back in shape (not saying he binges here but he sure isnt training at anything like 80%)I would guess.

Howard while being the WBC number one hasnt done enough to secure a big fight, he should have going stateside and picking a decent challenger, say a rob allen last year or a rematch with Joppy a year or 18 months ago to secure his postion at No 1. He hasnt he has been fighting euro level spanish and italians (ok williams subbed Sendra last time out but the scheduled bout was there to see) and basically coasting to points victories without exerting himself too much.


I wonder if he has got into this ryhtmm now and if he is asked to up the tempo whether it woudl still be there at 33.

Onto the taylor match up, Hennessey while in thailand bid 281 k for the purse for the Taylor Eastman fight, we all know jermaine isnt gonna come to England to fight Howard for those type of figs. It seemed like a bid for bids sake, Howard needs to be calling his man out, and establishing himself as the No 1. (Ok tito has it for now but we know thats just to pave the way for a rematch with Nard).

So taylor fights another past it fighter in Joppy who has done nothing of note since his defeat to Hopkins, Howard again finds himself on the outside.

Thing is I dont have a heck of a lot of sympathy, he hasnt forced his class of opponent to ensure he cant be ingored, he hasnt been busy enough and he hasnt been vocal enough, I just dont think its in his nature.

Nice boxer, wasting talent, but a bloody nice bloke if a tad eccentric, Howard could end up massivley underachieving in his career, I hope he gets it together to have one last charge at the title and fulfill what many believe is his destiny. Thing sis he might just be smarter than we think and waiting for Hopkins to retire!