How did Jermain Taylor beat Bernard Hopkins twice?

With punches.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=isn...oid-huawei-rev1&prmd=inv#imgrc=yb8mSMUXgFuruM

 

Y'know he was like 40 right?

 

I thought Taylor did a great job working down the centre once he got Hopkins respect early with tht cross. I seem to remember him doing well going low them high w the jab n uses his speed to get in and outwork him. Simple strategy but if it workeds why change it?

 

I didn't see it coming. Hell I'm still shocked to this day.

 

I thought Hopkins won the rematch but he did lose the first one. Taylor was also easily ahead of Froch too befor he got caught at the end.

 

Jermaine Taylor had a reputation for being a murderous puncher in the amateurs and up to that point as a pro.

I know because he fought on the same circuit in the ams that overlapped ours — I can’t remember who but he knocked out a pretty fighter so cold they had to call 9-1-1 after. That’s with full headgear and bigger gloves. That reputation stayed with him.

So even a seasoned vet like Hopkins probably approached him with great care and respect. And when even a really good (or great) fighter feels true power in the ring they tend to want to avoid it.

I also saw Deontay Wilder in the amateurs when he won the National Golden Gloves. He was raw, gangly, not very smooth — but I saw him fight the Detroit GG champ and the NYC GG champ and in both cases he hit them fairly solid in the first round and they went from ‘try to win the fight’ to ‘please don’t hurt me, let me get to the final bell’ plans.

 

For all his faults at his best Taylor had a hard snappy jab and with that he beat Hopkins.

 

Did Taylor really beat Hopkins twice? Last time I checked Hopkins landed cleaner blows in both fights. Granted both were close but you also have to look at the quality of the punches landed. With that said, Hopkins was thinking too much in the Taylor fights trying to neutralize a rangy, awkward, and athletic boxer from long range. Hopkins would have been much better off putting consistent pressure on Taylor and exploiting Taylor's flaws (telegraphed punching, wide punching, stationary head, backing up in straight lines). Hopkins played into Taylor's strengths.