For those of you who watched countdown to Taylor/Pavlik; did it change your view on the winner at all? Both fighters looked really good. I was previously taking Pavlik, and still am taking him, but it was interesting to see Taylor training at Mannys facility. And the fact that whenever he has taken a boxer there he has never lost in 20 title appearances. That didn't make me feel too well. lol. Still rooting for my boy Pavlik though!
I look at it the other way. That being that Manny is so paranoid about this fight that he took special care with Taylor this time around. Taylor isn't Lewis. He isn't a thinking boxer in there. I don't think this trip is going to make that much of an impact. I believe once Taylor gets nailed all that training is gonna go right out the window. And also I put more stock into the facts about the amateur contest. Just like Abdulaev vs Cotto: maturity and experience mean a helluva lot. Now that Pavlik is much bigger and has that man strength, he will walk over Taylor.
No, I am still going with Pavlik, although the fact that np Stewart fighter has ever lost after training in the Pocono's caught my attention.
Irregardless where Taylor and Manny trains . . . if Taylor is gonna lose he's gonna lose. Once a fighter gets nailed and got in trouble all these trainings goes out of the window . . . the fighters goes back to "instincts'. :yep :good
Taylor has never been down or seriously hurt. Pavlik has been down. Why is one's chin questioned and not the others?
Because Kelly Pavlik was blasted by Edison Miranda, and make no mistake, Miranda landed some flush/straight right hands at the end of the 5th round. He has taken hard shots. Taylor hasn't been hit as much and was wobbled by one Hopkins right hand. Plus, the last 4 guys he faced haven't been P4P punchers like Pavlik. I think that's why people question Taylor's chin more than Pavlik.
After learning that Taylor is training in the Poconos, I think he might have a better chance then I gave him before. Not because of the training, or that I think Taylor is taking this more serious. It's just that the Poconos is high elevation, and training up in the mountains can give a fighter better stamina. I still think that Pavlik will win, but Taylor's chances got a bit (just a bit) better. Of course, we all know that if Taylor survives to the 12th round, the judges will give him the decision. That's how "Bad Decisions" rolls.
no it didn't change my opinion on things... I see it the other way around. People don't realize how strong Taylor is and will see how he over powers Pavlik. Pavlik is taller, but is not stronger. Taylor is a very physical guy but has laid off some of his physicality since being under Manny's wing. I think if he gets popped good by Pavlik it will have an adverse effect on his training plan and make Taylor bring out his physical game and bring it to him. If you look at how Taylor defeated hopkins, it wasn't by strategy it was by over powering him and being physical. He has defeated by guys that way...yes Winky & B-hop were both more polished and crafty but Taylor was the more physical fighter against both opponents
So we're basing Jermains chin off of ONE shot from Hopkins that didn't even put him down? Yeah, that's fair.
It's the same thing with PBF. You have people who say Floyd can't really take a punch because of that punch that stunned him for a couple of seconds against Chop Chop Corley.
As I understand it, most will agree that Taylors defense isn't that great in terms of covering up at all times.... is that correct? In other words, he is HITTABLE. If that is the case, I would find it hard to believe that he hasn't gotten hit enough to let us determine if he has a decent chin. I think he does. The question is, does he have the chin to take Pavliks best shot? We shall see on Sept 29th. Same thing for Pavlik, can he take Jermains best shot? Being "wobbled" by a Hopkins right hand is not a way to judge a guys chin. So because Pavlik was wobbled by a Zertuche punch, which IMO, I dont think he punches harder than Hopkins, does it mean Pavlik has a weaker chin than Jermaine? its not a fair assesment.
I never said that I question his chin based off of that one punch, but I know others do, and it isn't all that fair