Benard Hopkins vs. Jermaine Taylor

[LatinG187]

for any boxing fans here who haven't heard yet,Benard Hopkins' reign as the Undisputed Middleweight Champion is over.Jermaine Taylor(24-0) has beat Benard Hopkins tonight in a split-decision.Here's a link to check out the breakdown of the fight round by round.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2109719

 

[jacs]

the quick version is that the fight was horrible until the 9th round whenHopkins decided to fight.

 

[LatinG187]

and there will be a rematch between these two fighters.

 

[jksmith269]

Taylor won more rounds IMO and deserved the win. Hop came on in the end and hurt Taylor but too little to late.

 

[Payton34Smith22]

There is no question, a rematch is in the contract if Taylor won.


It wasn't a robbery. Taylor won the early rounds with a lot of energy, but he was tentative and Bernard slipped and ate a lot of shots on the gloves.

Hopkins looked to be letting it slide away but I thought he turned it up in the 9th, stunned Taylor in the 10th and 11th, and clearly won the 12th.

He outlanded Taylor 96-86 in total punches, and 78-50 in power shots.

Numbers never tell the whole story, but I had it 7 rounds to 5 based on cleaner counter shots, supurb defense and ring savvy.

I thought he clearly pulled it out after taking 11 and 12.

 

[jterrell]

Taylor won but I was suprised.
Very seldom will you see ahcallenger win if its a close fight and the champ has won the last few rounds which I think Hopkins clearly did.

Hopkins punching power is sick. I am suprised Taylor got the decision but both fighters are very good.

Hopkins was as sluggish as I have ever seen early. A bad sign considering all the pre-fight hoopla. I wonder if age has caught up with him a la Tito.

 

[Juke99]

I can't watch boxing anymore.

Spoiled on Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Holmes, Leonard, Duran, Hagler, Hearns, Arguello...

 

[jksmith269]

Rematch already scheduled for October 1st


EDIT Juke Ali in his early days was amazing to watch. Over the 4th of july weekend they had all ali all weekend on ESPN classic and it was worth it. His layoff for 3 years really hurt him. He lost his grace and footwork for the most part.

 

[Juke99]

Rematch already scheduled for October 1st


EDIT Juke Ali in his early days was amazing to watch. Over the 4th of july weekend they had all ali all weekend on ESPN classic and it was worth it. His layoff for 3 years really hurt him. He lost his grace and footwork for the most part.

I own every Ali fight, with the exception of a few VERY early on in his career...in fact, when he came back he was still pretty quick...right through the Foreman fight. He was still faster than any heavyweight in the history of the sport but nowhere near what he was when he was younger.

If you watch the Liston fight (first one) it's almost beyond belief to see how fast he was...Liston was seen as an unbeatable machine...and at that point in his career, no one knew Ali also had an IRON chin.

But right through the Foley fight, it's amazing to watch him toy with everyone he fought. Guys would miss him by a foot when they threw punches. And he NEVER took a clean shot to the head. Just phenomenal.

When he came back against Frazier, he took the fight WAY too fast. He had only two fights in almost four years and fought Frazier only 6 months after the layoff...and Frazier still ended up in the hospital after the fight.

Oh, I could go about Ali as much as I can about the Cowboys.