Hopkins Vs. Taylor

[POJO_Risin]

Is it the ushering in of a new great boxer?

Or is it the affirmation of an already great one?

I can't fucking wait for this shit...

[POJO_Risin]

The weigh in was interesting...

Hopkins, Taylor go face to face at weigh-in
July 15, 2005
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports

LAS VEGAS -- Thirty hours before they face off for the undisputed middleweight title, Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor got face to face for a shouting match at Friday's weigh-in.

Taylor, a Little Rock native, scaled in at 160 pounds to chants of "Pig Sooey, Razorback" from hundreds of his fans who made the trip from Arkansas. The champion gave them a few muscular poses and a tight smile.

"I know Arkansas is always behind me," Taylor said earlier in the week. "Their support is great."

Hopkins was booed by the same fans as he weighed in at 160, the division limit. Both looked trim and ready for Saturday night's 12-round bout at the MGM Grand.

But they apparently couldn't wait to get started, although nothing more than verbal threats were thrown at the weigh-in. The fighters stood together for photos, then put their faces inches apart for some serious mouthing off.

That lasted perhaps a half-minute before they were separated by their handlers and security personnel. It hardly was an unusual scene for motormouth Hopkins, but seeing Taylor lose his cool was surprising.

"You've got nothing," Taylor told Hopkins, the challenger's head bobbing animatedly as he shouted into the champion's face.

Hopkins probably enjoyed the exchange, because he said all week he believes he's gotten inside Taylor's head.

"Jermain Taylor has to battle the enormity of this event and the physical part of it," Hopkins said. "I don't think he's up to it."

Taylor has dismissed any predictions that he can't handle the pressure.

"Now is my time," he said. "I feel like everything that's happened has prepared me for this moment in time, to be the undisputed middleweight champion."

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[POJO_Risin]

For those of you that don't know Hopkins history...

he's rebounded from a 5 year prison stay from age 17-22...

pretty good rebound I'd say...

Hopkins uses sordid past to stay at top
July 15, 2005
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports

LAS VEGAS -- Bernard Hopkins reached the top because of his life as a bottom-feeder. It's also why he's stayed on top.

Hopkins spent nearly six years in jail in the 1980s. He was such a chronic lawbreaker that he was placed in one of Pennsylvania's toughest prisons at age 17. He took up boxing in Grateford State penitentiary and was released in 1988.

In his first pro fight, he lost a four-round decision, not exactly the route to a championship belt. So he dropped the sport and went to work in the kitchen of a Philadelphia hotel.

As Hopkins, now a record-setting champion, looks back on those days, he doesn't brood. He still uses those hard times as an inspiration.

"You never forget those lessons," he said as he prepared for his 21st consecutive middleweight title defense, which comes Saturday night against Jermain Taylor. "I don't play around, I don't go to parties, I been through the ups and downs. I'm a safe guy to society.

"What drives Bernard Hopkins to be vicious and determined in trying to go into the ring and take apart his opponents mentally and physically at this age? At this age, 40? And not only been here, but continue to win and not been in a fight that was considered to be close?

"I was in one of the toughest penitentiaries in Pennsylvania, in with rapists and murderers and some very bad people. I remember."

Hopkins hooked up with trainer Bouie Fisher when he decided to try boxing again in 1990. He is 46-1-1 since, with 32 knockouts, the only loss coming to Roy Jones Jr. in 1993. He plans two more fights after Taylor, who is 23-0 since winning the 2000 Olympic bronze medal. Hopkins doesn't view Taylor as much of an obstacle in continuing his title-defense string.

Then again, Hopkins doesn't really view any opponent as much of a challenge these days. He says he's never been better in the ring or in the way he prepares for his fights.

"I'm not underestimating Jermain Taylor," he said. "I just know what Bernard Hopkins is capable of and I don't think Jermain Taylor can handle it."

Fisher is only a bit more cautious, saying Hopkins "is ready, just like always, for a tough fight." Fisher adds that Hopkins has a single-mindedness about "ending his career the right way, and that's by winning until he stops fighting."

When that happens, Hopkins plans to promote fights. He's already deeply involved with his nephew, Demetrius, a rising welterweight.

Considering the mistakes of his youth, Hopkins insists he won't become one of those athletes who is lost after retirement. Indeed, he's made millions from recent bouts after years of fighting for low paydays.

That's a long way from his history of armed robbery and jail.

"This is that edge I have," he said. "You go back to those penitentiaries and you've got rapists and killers and they're saying: 'You did it. We didn't believe it, but you did it.'

"To have that in my mind, and to have in mind what it's like in prison as if it's just like yesterday and it's over 18 years ago -- that's my reason to not lose."

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[ALinChainz]

The epic match-up of seasoned veteran versus the new up and coming , can't miss prospect.

Should be interesting to say the least.

[POJO_Risin]

I truly think this is going to be one of those rare fights that live up to it's billing...

I'm hoping...

Either way...Hopkins says it's his last middleweight fight...so either way...Jermain Taylor's next fight will be for the undisputed title more than likely...

Hopkins...either way...will be going after Tarver's light heavy crowns...with his next fight...the challene there being to go back to the place where he lost his FIRST fight...before fighting the rest of his fights as a middle...

if he can beat Tarver...it is generally believed we get Roy Jones Jr. again...who...I can't believe others don't find interesting...Jr. still has the skills...just no desire...he'll have the desire for this fight...

[ALinChainz]

Didn't both Johnson and Tarver give up their titles to fight each other?

I guess in the public eye, he is the champ, going to look into it.

[ALinChainz]

Boxing's Current Champs (http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=champs&prov=st&type=lgns)


This is some fucked up shit.

Boxing should go on the division wide unification crusade.

[POJO_Risin]

Funny...to add to the fucking clutter...Bernard Hopkins isn't listed on there as the Middleweight champ...but the notation there has him listed as the SUPER World Champion????

WTF is that shit?

has he held the best so long...that they made a new one so that someone else could get it? WTF is that shit?

[POJO_Risin]

Same with Zab Judah...in the welterweight division...

[POJO_Risin]

I wonder if Tarver has a fight with any of those dongs that stole away his belts...

[ALinChainz]

Not sure if that has to do with refusing to fight mandatory challengers or what, I know sometimes that shit comes into play.

The rankings mean little or nothing anymore, but the govering bodies claim they do.

It is fucked up.

[POJO_Risin]

The IBF is what really fucked it over...

when Larry Holmes dropped the WBC and WBA...and kept the IBF to legitimize it...

it was all downhill from there...

[DlocRoth]

This is NOT an epic fight..

The executioner will chew Taylor up and spit him out. Guaranteed.

He's so good he doesn't even need to work in there.

He rolled over De La and Tito without breaking a sweat.

This will be no different.

Taylor will be a great champ someday.

But not today, fellas. Not today.

[ALinChainz]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
The IBF is what really fucked it over...

when Larry Holmes dropped the WBC and WBA...and kept the IBF to legitimize it...

it was all downhill from there...

He lost the WBA and WBC to Michael Spinks I thought, got pissed and said that shit about Marciano couldn't carry his jock (the loss made him 48-1, not 49-0 which would have tied him for the record), and then got robbed big time in the rematch (Saw him beat Spinks nearly every round). The IBF formed and gave him their title, which somewhat legitimized the sanctioning body as a player in the title game. Then came along the WBO, which is still not really recognized as a major player, but did have some fighters holding their belts who were pretty good.

Anyways, that's how I saw it.

[ALinChainz]

Didn't buy the PPV, but followed it round by round on ESPN.com.

Looked to me like Hopkins gave away too many round early and then didn't have enough in the end. Still almost got the decision.

[ALinChainz]

A round-by-round account of Saturday's Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins-Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor bout for Hopkins' undisputed middleweight (160-pound) title in Las Vegas. Hopkins, of Philadelphia, is 46-2-1 with 32 knockouts; Taylor, of Little Rock, Ark., is 23-0, 17 KOs.

On the undercard:

In a rematch of their February super bantamweight (122-pound) thriller, Oscar Larios (56-3-1, 36 KOs) scored a TKO over Wayne "The Pocket Rocket" McCullough (27-6, 18 KOs) to retain his WBC title.

Larios, 28, who was taken the distance by the 35-year-old McCullough before winning by decision in their first bout, faced yet another stiff challenge. Both fighters exchanged a high volume of punches, to the delight of the Las Vegas crowd. In Round 5, for instance, Larios and McCullough combined for more than 250 punches thrown. That pace could not possibly last, as Larios settled in and peppered McCullough at will. The bout was stopped at the end of the 10th round, as fight Dr. Margaret Goodman advised referee Richard Steele that the bout be stopped, despite McCullough's objections. At the end of the fight, the fighters threw more than 1,000 punches each.

At bantamweight (118 pounds), Fernando Montiel (31-1-1, 24 KOs) defended his title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Evert Briceno (21-3, 17 KOs). In what at times seemed like a bland fight, the 26-year-old Montiel's ability to counterpunch kept Briceno, 27, off-balance. Briceno, however, took the punches throughout and kept coming. Briceno staged a bit of a rally in the final three rounds, but it was too little, too late.

The televised fight card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena opened with Vernon "The Viper" Forrest's knockout of Sergio Rios in their junior middleweight (154-pound) matchup. Forrest (36-2, 27 KOs), 34, continued his comeback after a two-year layoff, knocking down the 28-year-old Rios (17-2, 15 KOs) twice in the second round. The bout was stopped at 2:43 of the round.


Unofficial scorecard
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
Hopkins 9 9 9 9 10 9 10 9 10 10 10 10 114
Taylor 10 10 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 116



Round 1

Hopkins runs immediately to engage Taylor at the opening bell, then sizes him up. Taylor does the same. Taylor opens first with a left. The action ratchets up after the first minute. Both fighters exchange brief flurries, then revert to taking each other's measure. Referee Jay Nady warns Taylor to obey his commands. Both fighters stay cautious, but Taylor is slightly more aggressive. The round ends with a furious volley of punches by both fighters.
ESPN.com scores it: Taylor 10-9


Round 2

Hopkins and Taylor go toe-to-toe, but Taylor breaches Hopkins' defenses. Hopkins buys time to regroup. Taylor shows his strength early getting in a left and a right to the body. Taylor appears to have the upper hand, gaining confidence. Taylor's jab is more active. Hopkins still isn't out of it, becoming the aggressor briefly. Taylor isn't backing down and stays strong.
ESPN.com scores it: Taylor 10-9


Round 3

Taylor looks to press his advantage, but respects Hopkins' ability to strike back. Taylor gets in two left jabs before Hopkins holds him and tries to get in shots of his own. Taylor is successful in landing his jab, while Hopkins continues to study him. Taylor's physical presence appears to impose on Hopkins, missing on an overhead right. Taylor's left is his bread-and-butter punch at this point, scoring more often. Taylor attacks at the end of the round, securing it with a closing combination.
ESPN.com scores it: Taylor 10-9


Round 4

Hopkins and Taylor start cautiously once more. Taylor has the reach and takes advantage by landing his left jab. Taylor is scoring consistently. Taylor keeps beating Hopkins to the punch, though the 40-year-old Hopkins remains patient. The round lulls until the final five seconds, but Taylor comes through again with a late flurry.
ESPN.com scores it: Taylor 10-9


Round 5

Taylor and Hopkins open the round with more looking than punching for the first minute. Taylor is faster, but sustains a cut on his forehead from an accidental head butt, stopping the action briefly. When the fight resumes, Taylor presses the attack, forcing Hopkins to the ropes. Hopkins scores with a left hook. With a minute left, Hopkins starts in with a combination of his own, then starts taunting Taylor. Hopkins scores with another left. Taylor scores again with a combination, but Hopkins shows he's unfazed. Hopkins appears to gain momentum.
ESPN.com scores it: Hopkins 10-9


Round 6

The crowd gets into it as both fighters stalk each other. Taylor continues to be the aggressor, using his left and stepping forward. Hopkins feints as the fighters reset for another exchange. The cut above Taylor's forehead is an X-factor. Taylor scores with a left, but it did not have much effect. Taylor works the body quickly, though Hopkins again gets out of it. Taylor throws more punches and gets the round based on his greater activity.
ESPN.com scores it: Taylor 10-9



Round 7

Hopkins moves side to side for much of the first minute of the round, but Taylor keeps his eye on him. Taylor manages to be more economical with his punches, but Hopkins still measures him. Hopkins is warned for hitting while holding, but no deduction is taken. Taylor continues to land with the jab. Hopkins respects it, keeping his distance as he awaits an opening.
ESPN.com scores it: Tied 10-10


Round 8

Hopkins cannot afford to continue waiting if he is to win this fight, but gamely sticks to his game plan of patience. Hopkins and Taylor engage in a brief exchange of punches, but neither gains a real edge. More watching, more waiting. Hopkins gets in a left hook. Then more watching, waiting, anticipating. Can Hopkins keep this up? Hopkins is warned again for holding. He needs to make a move.
ESPN.com scores it: Taylor 10-9



Round 9

After another stretch of cautiousness, Taylor gets off an effective combination. Hopkins holds and resets. Taylor has not exposed himself to attack. In fact, as the aggressor, the fight goes more and more his way. Hopkins and Taylor mix it up in the final 20 seconds, but Taylor does not allow Hopkins to get the better of him.
ESPN.com scores it: Tied 10-10



Round 10

The crowd is somewhat subdued as the round opens. Taylor appears to be in control of the bout at this point. Hopkins gets in a couple of shots; Taylor blunts the rally by holding him. Hopkins forces the action again. He scores with a big right to Taylor's jaw. Hopkins presses the attack. Taylor catches Hopkins with an uppercut. But Hopkins has the momentum now. He digs in to take the round strong.
ESPN.com scores it: Hopkins 10-9



Round 11

It's a fight now. Hopkins and Taylor are more intense. And Hopkins appears determined to strike fiercely, like a cobra. Hopkins appears to have more energy, landing more rights to the jaw. Taylor comes back with the left jab. But Hopkins gets to Taylor with a vicious flurry that sends Taylor to the ropes. Hopkins is now fighting with nothing to lose save his undisputed title.
ESPN.com scores it: Hopkins 10-9



Round 12

Hopkins and Taylor know this is it. Hopkins lands with a right. Both fighters brawl briefly before Taylor lands a right of his own. Another Taylor right lands. Both fighters are still standing tall. Hopkins attacks in the final minute with a furious flurry, but Taylor withstands it. Both fighters go at it. Hopkins starts moving around, Ali-like, in the final 30 seconds. Hopkins misses, Taylor hits. Both fighters exchange flurries in the final 5 seconds. The round is close, but Hopkins lands more punches.
ESPN.com scores it: Hopkins 10-9



Taylor wins by split decision.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=210971 9

[POJO_Risin]

Well fuck...

it wasn't a great fight...it was a good fight...damn...this may change Hopkins future plans...

it's not often a defending champion loses a split decision...

[ALinChainz]

Taylor, Hopkins look to rematch

By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer


July 17, 2005



LAS VEGAS (AP) -- After taking away Bernard Hopkins' undisputed middleweight title with a split decision, Jermain Taylor wants a rematch as much as Hopkins does.

For Taylor, who turns 27 in August, there are many other options. Yet he has no qualms about getting back into the ring with the 40-year-old Hopkins, who plans to fight only two more times -- and now desperately wants one of those bouts to be for the belts he surrendered Saturday night.

``He deserves that rematch and the same thing is going to happen,'' Taylor said. ``It's just going to be easier.''

It couldn't be much more difficult. Taylor began well, but Hopkins came on in the middle rounds and dominated the late portions of the bout. Had judge Duane Ford given the final round to Hopkins instead of Taylor, it would have been a draw; the other two judges scored the 12th for Hopkins.

``I didn't win the fight like I wanted to win the fight,'' said Taylor, the 2000 Olympic bronze medalist who is now 24-0 as a pro. ``He's a smart fighter. In the rematch, I've got to plan for that.''

With a clause in the contract guaranteeing a rematch, both boxers can begin planning pretty soon. Hopkins, whose record streak of 20 straight successful title defenses was snapped, is urging everyone to watch the tape from Saturday's match. HBO will replay the bout this Saturday at 10:15 p.m. EDT.

``Technology today can give you the benefit of the doubt to go back and reflect,'' Hopkins said. ``One thing about videotape is that it don't lie.''


What Hopkins claims viewers will see is a dominant performance by him in the second half of the fight. Though Taylor admits Hopkins came on strongly, he scoffs at the notion that the veteran won.

``Bernard took his time, he came on late. I feel I did enough in those early rounds to win the fight,'' Taylor said. ``I should have cut the ring off a lot more, I should have thrown a lot more body shots. I'll do those things more the next time. I learned a lot in the ring.''

The crowd, loaded with folks from Arkansas -- Taylor is a Little Rock native -- was in the challenger's favor, especially early. Chants of ``JT, JT'' drown out support for Hopkins until the closing rounds, when Hopkins' followers came to life as their boxer did.

Oscar De La Hoya, who promoted the fight, mentioned Oct. 1 as a potential date for a rematch, but that seems a bit soon. Taylor needs time to heal from a cut on the top of the head caused by an accidental head butt. It bled for the second half of the fight and seemed to bother him at times.

In fact, it probably bothered him more than Hopkins did until the second half of the bout.

But when Hopkins got rolling, he did some damage -- just not enough to overcome Taylor's big lead.

``I don't think that was a mistake,'' Hopkins said of his slow start. ``You only got 12 rounds in a fight, and if Jermain Taylor won four rounds and I won from rounds six to 12, when one round could easily been a two-point round, do the math. I don't believe Jermain Taylor won a round from six to 12. To make my point even stronger, I believe that is one of the two times he was back in no man's land, hurt and bleeding.''

Hopkins, of course, has the most to gain from a rematch after his first loss in 12 years. The Philadelphian also believes his sport will profit from Hopkins-Taylor II.

``I'm not going to say decisions are good for boxing,'' he said, ``but rivalries are.''

[Dave's Bitch]

should be cool.i think hopkin would win a re match