What will HBO do with Jermaine Taylor Now?

[Nawfal]

They had been on his bandwagon for a long time hyping him up bigtime

what do you think they will do now? will they continue to try and support him? or just dump him

i think taylors career is virtually over. he will get destroyed again against pavlik and he would get crucified by any top 168lber.

hes got no where to go. at least he was "undisputed" mw champ of the world for a while

[knockout]

kick his ass to the crub.

[PrideOfWales]

Bit harsh - he almost finished Pavlik in 2 rounds - he's clearly not elite but he's a good guy to have around boxing. "Finished" is a bit strong.

[PrideOfWales]

Jermain Taylor vs Jeff Lacy?

Both black Americans, the next big things.. Showtime's hype vs HBO's hype and they both begin with 'J'

[jimmy1991]

who cares he had one loss iam not a big fan but its only one loss, what every one has to give up after they ave one loss, he almost had pavlik in the 2nd i think a rematch could b possible 4 him.

[The Kurgan]

Jermain Taylor vs Jeff Lacy?

Both black Americans, the next big things.. Showtime's hype vs HBO's hype and they both begin with 'J'

Lace and Tailor? It's a set of bad puns waiting to happen.

Who can stitch their career back together?

[Brickhaus]

They'll almost certainly pick up the rematch, if/when it happens. I believe Taylor's 5 fight contract with HBO expires after his next fight though.

[dangerousity]

Taylor not elite? Hopkins*2, draw with Wright and nealy finished Pavlik in 2 rounds. A Taylor-Pavlik rematch isnt a foregone conclusion, both guys can knock each other out and Taylor has a good chance of winning a rematch.

[Club Fighter]

Lace and Tailor? It's a set of bad puns waiting to happen.

Who can stitch their career back together?

I appreciate it when someone puts forth some effort into a good slagging. Kudos, sir. Fine job.

[Lampley]

Lace and Tailor? It's a set of bad puns waiting to happen.

Who can stitch their career back together?

Nicely done!

Taylor can continue to be a player at the 160-168 level, but it really depends on how much he wants to improve. He actually enhanced himself as a marketing attraction in the defeat, because he showed that he'll fight toe to toe.

He has at least one more big-money fight, and hopefully several more.

[The Kurgan]

Nicely done!

Taylor can continue to be a player at the 160-168 level, but it really depends on how much he wants to improve. He actually enhanced himself as a marketing attraction in the defeat, because he showed that he'll fight toe to toe.

He has at least one more big-money fight, and hopefully several more.

I think the future careers of Taylor and Lacy depend on future modifications of their style. In Taylor's case, he just has to modify his mindset more (and get that left up). If he'd always had that same "Seek and Destroy" attitude that he had against Pavlik, he'd have been a more experienced finisher and would have probably beaten Pavlik in the second; people would be talking today at what a joke of a challenger Pavlik was. It was too little too late as far as turning Taylor into a warrior went.

In the case of Lacy, he has arguably everything needed to be a force for years to come (a hard chin, a lot of power and good stamina) but his lack of reflexes and a good defense, plus the way he loops rather than drives his shots, will require a lot of adjustment before he can be a firm world-class figure. Since you can't really teach reflexes, I'd work with Lacy on defense and shortening his punches. In fact, I'd take a latter-day George Foreman as my model. That, and in the spirit of puns I'd teach him to bob-and-weave.

Edit: I'd also get Lacy a new trainer. Seriously, the guy seems to be a trainer's wet dream in mental terms (obedient, determined, brave) but in the Calzaghe fight his corner were clearly watching a different fight. They should have been saying after the 3rd "You're getting the snot beaten out of you. Load up with some bombs to the body and head, and let's get away from this Welsh madman!"

[BewareofDawg]

As has been said above, Taylor was on the baaarink of victory, and different ref might have actually stopped the fight. Think about that, fights have been stopped for less. If that had happened what would we be saying? Fucked up isn't it? Taylors has two major problems and both can be remedied: 1 being his stamina, and 2 stemming from 1 is that he hangs his left arm when he gets tired. If you watch the fight, in the first round he starts out with his left up and in a good defensive and offensive position.

He is a top/elite fighter and will be back. Might actually win the rematch with Pavlik. Like I said he needs to work on that stamina though.

One more thing, he took a lot of clean shots from Kelly which answered some questions about his chin.

[marauder1999]

I say he fights Miranda. Big money there and bad blood.

[Lampley]

I think the future careers of Taylor and Lacy depend on future modifications of their style. In Taylor's case, he just has to modify his mindset more (and get that left up). If he'd always had that same "Seek and Destroy" attitude that he had against Pavlik, he'd have been a more experienced finisher and would have probably beaten Pavlik in the second; people would be talking today at what a joke of a challenger Pavlik was. It was too little too late as far as turning Taylor into a warrior went.

I agree about Taylor's left -- how could you disagree, really? -- but I think he's always had a seek and destroy mentality. He simply hasn't had the skills to crack great defensive fighters such as Hopkins, Wright and Spinks, but on his way up he was very happy to slug it out with those who'd oblige him.

In the case of Lacy, he has arguably everything needed to be a force for years to come (a hard chin, a lot of power and good stamina) but his lack of reflexes and a good defense, plus the way he loops rather than drives his shots, will require a lot of adjustment before he can be a firm world-class figure. Since you can't really teach reflexes, I'd work with Lacy on defense and shortening his punches. In fact, I'd take a latter-day George Foreman as my model. That, and in the spirit of puns I'd teach him to bob-and-weave.

It may be too late for Lacy. I agree with you on his assets, but I'm not sure they are full-value anymore. Especially chin. And who knows how the shoulder will respond to an intense training period. He did appear to have straightened his right hand in the early rounds against Tsypko, but I'm afraid he'll never be elusive or able to utilize angles.

Edit: I'd also get Lacy a new trainer. Seriously, the guy seems to be a trainer's wet dream in mental terms (obedient, determined, brave) but in the Calzaghe fight his corner were clearly watching a different fight. They should have been saying after the 3rd "You're getting the snot beaten out of you. Load up with some bombs to the body and head, and let's get away from this Welsh madman!"

I fully agree here. Mostly, I'm pissed at Birmingham for not stopping that fight. Jeff would probably be in better shape today if they had pulled the plug around the 9th round. The end of the fight was a massacre.

[The Kurgan]

I agree about Taylor's left -- how could you disagree, really? -- but I think he's always had a seek and destroy mentality. He simply hasn't had the skills to crack great defensive fighters such as Hopkins, Wright and Spinks, but on his way up he was very happy to slug it out with those who'd oblige him.

I don't think it was a question of having the skills to hit Hopkins, Wright and Spinks. I think Taylor's offensive skills are extremely underrated, and he could have beaten Hopkins and Spinks in a far more affirmative manner. In the case of Wright, he had an opponent who hit far less hard than he did and was coming at him all night, yet chose to box rather than slug with him.

Seek and destroy fighters don't wait for their opponents to give them the opportunity to KO them: they work for them. It's a comparison encapsulated in Mike Tyson, who when he was young with work the body and jab in order to open spaces up, and in his latter period used to wait for opportunities to present themselves. Taylor too often just waited for opportunities, and at times (such as against Winky and Ouma) didn't even take them when they presented themselves.

Stewart finally started to address this problem after the Spinks embarassment, but by that point it was too late. It was enough for Taylor to find the shots against Pavlik, but the kind of long-term mental gardening that Stewart should have been doing in Taylor's head hadn't been done.

It may be too late for Lacy. I agree with you on his assets, but I'm not sure they are full-value anymore. Especially chin. And who knows how the shoulder will respond to an intense training period. He did appear to have straightened his right hand in the early rounds against Tsypko, but I'm afraid he'll never be elusive or able to utilize angles.

He'll never be Pernell Whitaker, but he could be an old George Foreman or a Tommy Morrison, which for 99% of the super-middleweight/light-heavyweight divisions would be enough for Lacy to get the win. As for chin, I think Lacy has one of the best pound-for-pound in the world (the Calzaghe "knockdown" was an exhaustion knockdown).

Of course, the shoulder injury could spell the end for Lacy.

I fully agree here. Mostly, I'm pissed at Birmingham for not stopping that fight. Jeff would probably be in better shape today if they had pulled the plug around the 9th round. The end of the fight was a massacre.

I agree. In fact, I think even some of the worst mugs that Tyson had work for him over the years would have done a better job with Lacy. As for the stoppage, the 9th was indeed the right sort of time: Lacy had no power left, and it was clear that Calzaghe wasn't tiring. You have to admire Lacy's fortitude in refusing to go down and quit, which pretty much anyone else would have done under the same circumstances. I was going to make another tailor/lace related pun, but I've put enough in this thread.

[Lampley]

I don't think it was a question of having the skills to hit Hopkins, Wright and Spinks. I think Taylor's offensive skills are extremely underrated, and he could have beaten Hopkins and Spinks in a far more affirmative manner. In the case of Wright, he had an opponent who hit far less hard than he did and was coming at him all night, yet chose to box rather than slug with him.

What I see in Taylor is a lack of infighting ability, or any kind of consistent body attack. He also does not put his punches together well and gets wild with his money punch, the overhand right. I do regard him more highly than most because of his speed, power, overall athleticism and heart, but he hasn't ever taken that next step in refinement.

Taylor overshot the right hand continually against Hopkins. And I think he backed into the ropes against Wright in order to encourage Winky to throw, because Jermain wasn't satisfied with his guard punching in the middle of the ring, and despite his physical advantages he lacked the craft to open Winky up. Not that many have done that successfully against either guy.

He then got totally wild against Ouma early, so much that Steward had to tell him to settle down. I'll grant he was lethargic against Spinks, who in fairness made that dreadful fight what it was.



Seek and destroy fighters don't wait for their opponents to give them the opportunity to KO them: they work for them. It's a comparison encapsulated in Mike Tyson, who when he was young with work the body and jab in order to open spaces up, and in his latter period used to wait for opportunities to present themselves. Taylor too often just waited for opportunities, and at times (such as against Winky and Ouma) didn't even take them when they presented themselves.

Tyson does make your point, but I don't think it applies to Taylor. Jermain looked better against Pavlik because he got the kind of fight he likes, and the reason he couldn't finish is because he lacks the instincts and versatile combination ability. Once Kelly had prepared for the right hand, he was able to weather the storm. Taylor went after him but couldn't get it done.



(Lacy will) never be Pernell Whitaker, but he could be an old George Foreman or a Tommy Morrison, which for 99% of the super-middleweight/light-heavyweight divisions would be enough for Lacy to get the win. As for chin, I think Lacy has one of the best pound-for-pound in the world (the Calzaghe "knockdown" was an exhaustion knockdown).

I would have agreed pre-Calzaghe, but I think Joe softened him up. Jeff was hurt badly by Tsypko in a way I don't think he would have been previously, having been stunned by Sheika and that's about it.



I was going to make another tailor/lace related pun, but I've put enough in this thread.

I am bummed. You should go for it.

[Nawfal]

hold on i wasnt saying he is a shite fighter, but im saying his opions are limited and thats why i believe he is finished.

assuming he cant beat pavlik, he already said he is having extreme difficulty making 160, and i cant see him beating any of the top 168lbers, so his opions are limited to say the least.