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TalkingBoxing Picks the Hopkins-Taylor Winner
SAT July 16, THE TEAM - Undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins has ruled his division for more than a decade. Jermain Taylor is a young bull that has never been defeated. Read on as TalkingBoxing's finest discuss who will win the HBO PPV showdown!
Phillip Diaz - HOPKINS WINS
To put things into perspective the last time Hopkins lost, Jermain Taylor couldn’t even drive a car. Hopkins has been in as many championship fights (23) as Taylor has had fights. Sure Taylor is younger, faster, and stronger, and although Taylor probably has about every physical advantage imaginable over Hopkins, it’s what he lacks that will lead Hopkins to victory. Hopkins will exploit any and all of Taylor’s flaws and if we see them, just imagine what Hopkins sees.
Look for Hopkins to win an 8-4 type of decision with Taylor keeping it close early and perhaps even leading half way through the bout. Just when it looks like the torch will be passed look for Hopkins to turn it up a notch and sweep the championship rounds.
Montgomery McMahon - TAYLOR WINS
It's Taylor's time. He's simply outclassed everyone he's fought so far and while this will be, hands down, the toughest fight of his career he'll use his superior jab and quickness to beat Hopkins in a hard-fought decision. While Hopkins is one of the best, and certainly one of the smartest, fighters of his era, he's going to meet his match in Taylor. He'll quickly find out that Taylor is no Howard Eastman or even Oscar De La Hoya that he can simply outbox. We're about to see a changing of the guard.
Jason Peck - HOPKINS WINS
Champions always talk about how they’re going to beat the challenger. Bernard Hopkins explains it. When asked, Hopkins specifically targeted the areas in which he’d be able to defeat Taylor, including “Bad Intentions” habit of dropping his guard to throw a punch. Hopkins will exploit that tendency, among others. I believe he already designed a plan to defeat Taylor, and if that doesn’t work out, he’ll go to another plan. If he waits for Taylor to make his move, I doubt Taylor will know how to properly respond. You may not like Hopkins, but you cannot deny his status as an unparalleled tactician. That’s why he’s 40, undisputed and ranked as number one on the Pound-For-Pound list. It’s really an unprecedented situation. I hardly expect an exciting fight, but I do expect the 21st title defense.
Garth Weaver - HOPKINS WINS
I think that Bernard Hopkins is going to win this one. There is no doubt in my mind that Jermain Taylor will be a World Champion one day, but I do not think it is going to be his time on Saturday Night, UNLESS Hopkins has gotten old overnight. I think that Taylor is going to employ his piston like jab, but Hopkins will revert to his wily ways and thwart Taylor’s offense with clean movement and effective counters. I can see this fight going the distance and looking a lot like the Hopkins-Eastman fight with Hopkins staying small, elusive, and fighting at a Staccato pace.
I think that Taylor may have his moments, but is going to come up short at the end THIS time. This should be an interesting fight, and it is a win-win fight for both fighters. I am also excited to see the young Taylor in there with the best Middleweight in the world, because it will give us all a closer look at how well he is developing, and how he will fight on a World-Class level. Hopkins UD 12.
Brian Skjold - HOPKINS WINS
It must be nice to be standing in Jermaine Taylor's shoes... Not only is he the poster boy for boxing's neXt generation, but his first world title shot happens to be for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world. A title that has been held by some of the greatest pound for pound fighters in the history of the game, and this list includes the current champ Bernard Hopkins. Win or lose Jermaine Taylor's stock can only go up in this fight, he will either be a hero or at the least he has finally been tested. But unfortunately for Jermaine the 'win' part of this equation will stop as soon as the bell rings. I think after all the hype and build up for this fight it will just end up being another methodical outing for the old master.
Bernard will neutralize Taylor's youthful speed and power with nothing more than his grey matter, and when Jermaine is confused and frustrated Hopkins will turn into the eXecutioner once again and dispose of him in the late rounds. Bernard Hopkins TKO 11.
Buster Paris - HOPKINS WINS
I think this fight is more about Jermain Taylor – it’s a milestone for him – it’s his biggest fight ever. If he wins it’s an absolutely incredible victory for him. If he loses it’s not even close to a failure or career sidetracking loss and it’ll be neat to see how he bounces back. For Bernard Hopkins it’s either his last bout or 2nd to last bout in a tremendously awe-inspiring, stellar and hard working career. So – who do I think will win? Bernard Hopkins via a unanimous decision. I think Jermain Taylor is a really good fighter, but a little too shy of great to beat Bernard. We learned after the William Joppy fight that Taylor definitely has the right stuff to keep his cool, to be patient and not get frustrated by being forced to chase after his opponent all night - and make no mistake about it, he’ll be plenty busy keeping after the elusive Hopkins. Bernard will not hop on his bike like Joppy did, but will be in and out of range masterfully.
I think that this bout will be Jermain’s “Roy Jones Jr. fight” – with Bernard cast in the role of Roy and Jermain as Bernard – Taylor will just be out-thought and out-boxed.
The good news though is that the loss will not be a blemish on his record – it’s Bernard Hopkins – and after all - everyone loses to Bernard Hopkins.
Julius Stecker - HOPKINS WINS
Hopkins by a close but Unanimous Decision. He will manage to rough Taylor up early on, and control the early action. Taylor will come on late, but it will be too little, too late.
Coyote Duran - HOPKINS WINS
Boy, the pundits are split, aren't they? It's hard for me to not like Bernard Hopkins in this one. Jermain Taylor is gonna do what he can to make this fight exciting and solve Hopkins' frustrating surgical style but Hopkins will continue to stay with his pattern of shifty ring generalship and if he can avoid or somehow negate Taylor's top-notch jab, he'll win the fight......by a split decision. With a good, spirited loss, Taylor will wind up becoming more popular than ever on his way to becoming world champion after "The Executioner" retires.
Jason Herron - HOPKINS WINS
It's the year of the upset. First, Felix Trinidad went down. Then, Kostya Tsyzu quit in his corner. Just hours ago, Kassim Ouma was defeated handily. Will the upset trend continue? No! Bernard Hopkins is just too experienced for the young Taylor. Look for the teacher to school the student by a commanding and unanimous decision.
Luke Callahan - TAYLOR WINS
So the fight is finally here. A title fight for the aging all-time great middleweight Bernard Hopkins, which could well be his last. Fans all know the number twenty and what it means, regardless if Hopkins doesn't get the respect from prior fights, he earns a slice of "it" this time out in a loss. It will come at the hands of a quicker, younger Jermain Taylor. Has Taylor been tested in his 23-pro fights? Nope. But the 26-year old Taylor has been ready to make the leap into the deep end for quite some time.
Taylor handled his jr. middleweight foes and his 'step-up' fights in William Joppy and Daniel Eduoard. Now it's Taylor's chance to sink or swim without the "arm floaties". I can't see Taylor sinking in this fight. Hopkins will allow him to float for the first 3-4 rounds anyways, but will Hopkins be able to dig deep against Taylor if need be? I had this fight penciled in as a draw just a few short weeks ago, but here is my chance to write in pen....Taylor beats Hopkins. Can you say re-match?
THE PICKS: Hopkins 8 --- Taylor 2
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