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Jermain Taylor – Just Shy Of Breaking Through That Wall
TUE February 19, BUSTER PARIS - Let’s be honest, Jermain Taylor isn’t that great a fighter. He’s not impressive, and he’s not skilled or remarkable enough to be the Middleweight Champion of the World.
There’s something incredibly special and unique about the Middleweight division (160 lbs) and even though Light Middleweight (154 lbs) is only 6 pounds south and Super Middleweight (168 lbs) is 8 pounds to the north, there’s something uniquely special and sacred about the Middleweights, and there’s a higher expectation on being the Middleweight Champion.
When you think Middleweight Champion you think of names, and skills, like Harry Greb, Jake LaMotta, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and of course Bernard "The Executioner' Hopkins … and Jermain Taylor is just not in their league.
For those of you already composing your email to me that Taylor beat Hopkins – TWICE, let me say a couple of things about that. Jermain won those fights, but he didn’t beat Bernard Hopkins.
Fight #1 (July 2005) Bernard lost due to his plan of fighting a 15 round fight, when 15 round fights aren’t fought anymore. Taylor didn’t beat him, Hopkins screwed up with a horrible fight plan, and deserved to lose, but he wasn’t beaten.
Fight #2 (December 2005) Hopkins was robbed. He won that fight. While Taylor was the aggressor and had the heavier hands, Hopkins controlled the ring and the pace, and was the more superior, sharper and more effective puncher.
As a professional, Jermain Taylor has always been on the cusp of becoming great. He would have some tuff and exciting bouts, but would consistently revert back to some very amateurish things – like those crazy looping over the top overhand rights.
There has always been something very Jeff Lacy-ish about Taylor, but without the brutal and total Calzaghe moment of having that secret exposed.
In recent years Jermain has left us all thinking “…oh so close, he’s almost there” and asking questions like “…you’re fighting Kassim Ouma? – really?” and “…how could Corey Spinks give you such a hard time”?
Simply put, Jermain Taylor is not good enough to be Middleweight Champion.
However – today, he is fighting better than he has ever fought before, and if he keeps going, doing and improving, as has been the case with his last two Pavlik fights – he could end 2008 as the #1 contender in the Super Middleweight division.
You cannot deny that his performance in Saturday’s (February 16th, 2008) rematch with Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik (W 33 – 29 KO’s) demonstrably proves that he is fighting better than ever.
That looping crazy right hand was nowhere to be found, and he used that jab almost perfectly – only criticism there is that he should have used it more, but when he did, it was on target, wickedly fast and powerfully effective.
One of the newest things from Taylor were his flurries. He would slam home some nice, speedy and solidly impacting combinations at times like we’ve never seen him do.
He also seemed “right” in the ring – not necessarily comfortable, but there was a flash of sentimentality - that feeling we all get when we put on gloves and smile at a heavybag - a reconnection with a passion for the game maybe.
Whatever it was – Jermain was there to fight – not there because it’s his job, or his sport, but that he wanted to be there, and that he wanted to fight. More importantly – he wanted to fight Kelly Pavlik.
Even though he lost his last two fights, Jermain Taylor is fighting better than ever.
He is once again on that cusp of greatness –if he can continue, and if he can continue to improve.
My prediction – he will improve, but not enough.
Taylor will move up to 168 lbs, and will fight some good and close fights, he will get back on a winning role, but he will not improve to that next skill level. He’ll get right up to that wall, but not make it through.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great guy and he’s a good fighter, and he’ll have some fun and great fights at 168, but he will not live up to the potential that we saw as he was coming up.
He will always be just shy of great, just shy of breaking through that wall.
Thinking of the future, and thinking of Jermain at Super Middleweight, here's what would be interesting:
* First fight at 168 lbs should be against either Robin Reid or Peter Manfredo Jr.
* Second fight - either Sakio Bika, Jeff Lacy or Edison Miranda.
* Third - Mikkel Kessler, Anthony Mundine or Lucian Bute
More importantly, there is one Super Middleweight that Taylor should absolutely avoid at all costs:
Sam Soliman
Ask me why sometime ...
Buster Paris can be reached at: bparis@talkingboxing.com - and always enjoys receiving your thoughts, comments and questions
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