Taylor showed lateral movement against Hopkins, with the ocassional burst of attacking for good measure. Wright on the otherhand never, as he was always coming forward behind his jab and generally being aggressive. The reason why Hopkins couldn't take away Taylor's jab, yet took away Wright's, was because of the strategic element, rather than Taylor's jab being quicker. Taylor more or less gave Hopkins a clone of himself. Working the perimeter of the ring, feinting, low punch-output -ala playing the waiting game, jabbing, and looking to counter-punch. It was a night where Hopkins almost looked across the ring and seen himself in many ways. And he never liked what he seen.
I disagree with that. I think Taylor's weakness has always been his lateral movement and don't think he has ever been strong there. Great jab but that doesn't make him a great all round boxer, he clearly wasn't/isn't. To say that Taylor is a Hopkins clone is like saying that Niccolino Locche is a Miguel Canto clone.....maybe from the waist up. And even then I don't see the Hopkins-Taylor comparison.
I think he's saying that Taylor played the role of a "hopkins clone" in the actual fight. I don't agree with that either.
As in what though? He became a master boxer who employs dirty tactics for the night? I saw him mounting attacks behind his jab.
Like I said, i don't get it either. ***** looked like he was fighting like his own god damn Jermain Taylor self to me
During both fights, Taylor moved around the perimeter of the ring, feinted, jabbed, waited, focused on defense, and ocassionally attacked. During both those fights, the way he approached them and generally fought was a bit like Hopkins himself. Hopkins was in with another counter-puncher during both fights, which he never adjusted to as he never liked playing the all-out aggressor, thus we had two boring matadors during both fights. Although technically they aren't the same, Taylor more or less fought a Hopkins like fight against Hopkins. I'm not talking about Taylor overall throughout his career, only those two fights. And thats the reason why Hopkins couldn't take away Taylor's jab. Taylor was moving around and jabbing on the move, laterally, in-and-out, and feinting. This made Hopkins hesitant. Hopkins took away Wright's jab because he could play the role of countering against an aggressor, thus comfortable to get the best of his own tools. Taylor's movement was efficient enough to give Hopkins more than enough problems, that was pretty much more than evident.
If anyone think's that Hopkins v Taylor was an aggressor against a counter-puncher, needs to watch those fights again. The main reason why both fights were boring was because we had two hesitant counter-punchers, who both attacked in spurts. And I think it was clear to see why Hopkins stuggled during both fights. He was in with a tall athletic guy, who used his jab, moved well, feinted, attacked in spurts, and who threw and landed slightly more punches. Hopkins wasn't sure whether to lead off or counter. Infact, if anyone was the aggressor, it was Hopkins more than Taylor. Just watch the late stages of both fights. At no point during both fights did you see Taylor being all-out aggressive. Hopkins turned up the volume during the late stages as he knew he had to change. But looking at both fights it was, cat and mouse, by both for about 85% of the 24 rounds. However, during both fights Taylor did fight a bit like Hopkins. It was as if Hopkins was looking across the ring at himself. Posted this a few times and it's the first time anyone has disagreed. Always a first right enough. :good
Well first you said he was a Hopkins clone and now it's that he was a bit like Hopkins that night. We can speculate all day on what the reason was that Taylor out jabbed Hopkins, but I'm going to go with what I think is the blatant reason myself, which is because he had speed on him. And I think it's obvious I wasn't making out Taylor emulated Julio Cesar Chavez vs Hopkins. He definitely mounted attacks behind his jab and pursued Hopkins at times though, and he did the scoring from it. An example is round 6 of the first fight. Taylor was a ring general against Hopkins, dominating centre ring and not outmaneuvring his man in any way that did the scoring, his jab did the scoring. When Hopkins realised he was behind late on and mounted all out attacks he dwasn't eluded by lateral movement. What did the scoring was Jermain Taylor's jab and anything that came behind it. Anyway, talking about the style Taylor used was not my initial aim, it was to point out that speed is a problem for Bernard, and I see nothing to deter me from taking this stance. I hate these dragged out debates so I'm leaving it at that.
I mean, I'm watching their first fight now. I don't know how one can disagree with this simple statement: Bernard Hopkins is having trouble with Jermain Taylor's jab because it is very fast. I don't want to go off on a tangent. If I came across as though something else was my point earlier then I'm rephrasing now and want everyone to know that this is my statement to be taken forward, and what it always was.
