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Taylor 'can't wait' for homecoming
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Jermain Taylor's last fight in Arkansas took place in a medium-sized arena on the state fairgrounds. He had an undefeated record and a mild following, but was only starting to become a household name in his home state.
Needless to say, things have changed -- and Taylor sounds giddy about coming to the Little Rock area for next month's middleweight title defense against Kassim Ouma.
"I can't wait to get back to Arkansas. I love my hometown. I know the fans are going to go crazy," Taylor said. "I'm going to have my belts with me. It's going to be a great night."
Taylor became champion in July 2005 by beating Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas, then beat him there again in December. After that, Taylor fought a mandatory defense against Winky Wright in Memphis, Tenn., and escaped with a draw.
Now, Taylor (25-0-1) can finally fight at home again, something he's wanted to do for a while. The Dec. 9 matchup with Ouma will be at North Little Rock's Alltel Arena.
Taylor has fought at Alltel before, but his most recent fight in the area in 2004 was at Little Rock's Barton Coliseum, which is less than half the size of Alltel. The Arkansas Razorbacks had a basketball game at Alltel that day.
This time, Taylor will have a lot more of the spotlight.
"It's a lot of pressure when you're fighting in front of your home crowd, because everybody's expecting so much of you -- and Jermain knows that," said Ozell Nelson, Taylor's amateur coach and mentor. "But Jermain is eager to bring this fight back to Little Rock."
The 28-year-old Taylor, who is training in Miami, admits he's still developing as a fighter. Each of his last three bouts came down to close decisions.
"I feel like I'm still new to the game," he said. "I'm still learning."
Emanuel Steward, who became Taylor's trainer before the fight against Wright, says he thinks Taylor was too "hyper" when he fought Hopkins. In those two fights, Taylor dominated the early rounds but faded late.
But as Steward points out, Hopkins and Wright are two of boxing's most experienced fighters.
"He didn't dominate them and beat them up real bad, but nobody does that with those guys," Steward said. "Nothing will be as hard as fighting those two guys."
Steward says he and Taylor were caught off guard by Wright's early aggressiveness. Taylor spent a lot of time against the ropes in that fight -- and says he's learned some lessons.
"First of all, keep your hands up against a southpaw," Taylor said, scolding himself in an exasperated tone. "And then stay off the ropes. What am I doing over there? I went to the ropes myself _ I didn't have to do that."
Ouma (25-2-1) is a left-handed native of Uganda with a reputation as an aggressive fighter. He lost his junior middleweight championship in 2005.
Taylor understands he's a clear favorite.
"I know I'm fighting a guy who I'm supposed to go in there and beat, but this is a guy who comes to fight. Any man with two hands _ I'll never look over him," Taylor said. "Just a real uppity guy. I'm expecting to go in there and overpower him, because I know he's going to throw a lot of punches, I know he's going to be in shape."
The home fans, meanwhile, will be clamoring for a knockout, and that seems fine with Taylor. He's never been shy about embracing his roots, especially after many fans made the trip from Arkansas for his fights with Hopkins.
Ask Taylor whether he pays attention to the Razorbacks' football team, and he's almost incredulous.
"Do I follow the Razorbacks? Is the Pope Catholic?" Taylor said. "I'm a Razorback fan until the day I die. I love those Hogs."
When Taylor fought in Memphis -- just across the Mississippi River from Arkansas -- the FedEx Forum was barely half full. Ticket prices that reached $1,250 at ringside caught most of the blame. The highest prices this time are about half that -- and Taylor expects quite a scene when he enters the ring.
"I've thought about it a lot," he said. "I just can't wait."
Sports Illustrated
Needless to say, things have changed -- and Taylor sounds giddy about coming to the Little Rock area for next month's middleweight title defense against Kassim Ouma.
"I can't wait to get back to Arkansas. I love my hometown. I know the fans are going to go crazy," Taylor said. "I'm going to have my belts with me. It's going to be a great night."
Taylor became champion in July 2005 by beating Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas, then beat him there again in December. After that, Taylor fought a mandatory defense against Winky Wright in Memphis, Tenn., and escaped with a draw.
Now, Taylor (25-0-1) can finally fight at home again, something he's wanted to do for a while. The Dec. 9 matchup with Ouma will be at North Little Rock's Alltel Arena.
Taylor has fought at Alltel before, but his most recent fight in the area in 2004 was at Little Rock's Barton Coliseum, which is less than half the size of Alltel. The Arkansas Razorbacks had a basketball game at Alltel that day.
This time, Taylor will have a lot more of the spotlight.
"It's a lot of pressure when you're fighting in front of your home crowd, because everybody's expecting so much of you -- and Jermain knows that," said Ozell Nelson, Taylor's amateur coach and mentor. "But Jermain is eager to bring this fight back to Little Rock."
The 28-year-old Taylor, who is training in Miami, admits he's still developing as a fighter. Each of his last three bouts came down to close decisions.
"I feel like I'm still new to the game," he said. "I'm still learning."
Emanuel Steward, who became Taylor's trainer before the fight against Wright, says he thinks Taylor was too "hyper" when he fought Hopkins. In those two fights, Taylor dominated the early rounds but faded late.
But as Steward points out, Hopkins and Wright are two of boxing's most experienced fighters.
"He didn't dominate them and beat them up real bad, but nobody does that with those guys," Steward said. "Nothing will be as hard as fighting those two guys."
Steward says he and Taylor were caught off guard by Wright's early aggressiveness. Taylor spent a lot of time against the ropes in that fight -- and says he's learned some lessons.
"First of all, keep your hands up against a southpaw," Taylor said, scolding himself in an exasperated tone. "And then stay off the ropes. What am I doing over there? I went to the ropes myself _ I didn't have to do that."
Ouma (25-2-1) is a left-handed native of Uganda with a reputation as an aggressive fighter. He lost his junior middleweight championship in 2005.
Taylor understands he's a clear favorite.
"I know I'm fighting a guy who I'm supposed to go in there and beat, but this is a guy who comes to fight. Any man with two hands _ I'll never look over him," Taylor said. "Just a real uppity guy. I'm expecting to go in there and overpower him, because I know he's going to throw a lot of punches, I know he's going to be in shape."
The home fans, meanwhile, will be clamoring for a knockout, and that seems fine with Taylor. He's never been shy about embracing his roots, especially after many fans made the trip from Arkansas for his fights with Hopkins.
Ask Taylor whether he pays attention to the Razorbacks' football team, and he's almost incredulous.
"Do I follow the Razorbacks? Is the Pope Catholic?" Taylor said. "I'm a Razorback fan until the day I die. I love those Hogs."
When Taylor fought in Memphis -- just across the Mississippi River from Arkansas -- the FedEx Forum was barely half full. Ticket prices that reached $1,250 at ringside caught most of the blame. The highest prices this time are about half that -- and Taylor expects quite a scene when he enters the ring.
"I've thought about it a lot," he said. "I just can't wait."
Sports Illustrated
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