Chavez off-balance? God forbid that in your eyes that have been a balanced Chavez landing thud like shots......he'd have literally killed Taylor. Offbalance?:huh In Richard Steele's words on HBO's Legendary Nights, "Chavez was landing shots to break bones!" Maybe if Chavez had been balanced, he's have broken Taylor clear in half!
In retrospect the way Meldrick's career ended up, Richard Steele did the right thing. Meldrick was all but done. Had he won there would have been a rematch, and Chavez would have stopped him earlier there like he did in the rematch.
Meldrick was winning on points but Chavez was winning the fight. He busted Meldric up VERY VERY bad. He ruined taylor, damaged him, and put him through torture. If Steele would have not stopped the fight, Chavez could have honestly killed Taylor with 5 seconds to go. Look what happened to Mayorga with 1 second to go.
He pretty much did. He busted his kidneys, broke his cheeck bones, busted his liver, busted his mouth, and KO. Chavez broke Taylor.
Well, if you really knew all that all ready, then why ask the question? Let's say you did know this (unlikely), so you are arguing that if Taylor had won, his record would have been better? Jeez, no ****, Sherlock. Thanks.
How many seconds did it take Mosley to KO Mayorga after he got up from the first KD? Now think about what Chavez would have done to the dazed, beaten, busted up, semi-concious Taylor with 5 seconds.
Completely different. Mosley was standing right near Mayorga when he got up, basically Mayorga went down near the neutral corner. Taylor went down in one corner, Chavez was in the other to his left. Steele called the fight off as 5 ticked 4. Meaning if he would of let him go, he would of had to of checked his hands, looked for Chavez, deemed them okay to box. You think this happens in 4 seconds? Let alone if Steele let Chavez come out of the corner before he deems it okay to fight. He kept checking behind him in the count to make sure Chavez was there.
Win or lose, I don't see Taylor's future being that much different. He says he has problems at 140 so he moves up to 147, but he's already past his peak and takes too much punishment, and he doesn't last long as a champ at 147 with the talent level being so high. He would have the bragging rights of beating Chavez, but as far as his standing as a top fighter, it would've still been a short ride at the top. And still has health problems from taking too many beatings.
That would undoubtedly change the whole completion on the decision. I think Meldrick Taylor was hard done by, but Steele was right in saying that the safety of the fighters is his number one priority. He should not be hung out to dry for the decision, I just don't agree with what happened to Meldrick.