I find it hilarious that people think Taylor can have success at SMW.

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Amsterdam, what is it you see in Bute??

I just dont see a guy who is at the top level. He's a tall southpaw but doesnt have exceptional reach, and generally has his hands way too low, stands straight up, and doesnt move his head much.

IMO, he's lucky he gets past Berrio and will get BOMBED by Cal/Kess, and yes Jermain Taylor.

 

Ok... Its you're Taylor vision rather than Bute's "skill", I understand even if I dont agree:yep

I also see Hopkins and Wright taking Bute as well, unless he rises to the level of his opposition?? Bute is over rated and it will show as he steps it up.

 

IMO, he bombs Bute:good

Bute isnt as skilled as Wright or SPINKS, and Cory is certainly quicker:yep

 

:thumbsup

It would probably be his most brutally dominant performance...at least Lacy had a "puncher's chance". :yep

 

Tarver?

 

And exactly what is the similarity between Spinks and Bute that leads you to this conclusion? You're committing your own cardinal sin that you warned against....

Spinks is a crafty runner / counterpuncher who will launch a punch at a time and get on the defensive. Bute, stylistically, is similar to Taylor. He stands in front of the other fighter to be hit, and relies on body and head movement defensively, and when he throws punches, he tends to get upright and leave his chin exposed. There isn't anything to "deal" with with Bute. Bute doesn't appear to be a difficult nut to crack, as long as you know how to fight a rangy southpaw. Taylor's already facing a taller, quicker, rangier, stronger and more aggressive fighter in a few weeks. I don't see where Bute can possibly rank above Pavlik, unless you just think that Pavlik's defensive lapses are so awful that it makes up the difference, or you think that Bute's chin is better because it hasn't been tested yet. Either way, the quality of chin wouldn't make much of a difference vs. Taylor because he ain't knocking either guy out, and you already know that.

Pavlik KO Bute, Taylor UD Bute.

 

How is Taylor a hype job? :huh Hype jobs dont go 2-0-1 against two p4p fighters. And comparing him to Khan and Margarito is comparing apple and oranges. Their resume to Taylors is non comparable. Taylor has been in there with the best and has proven his worth to the boxing world. And lets get this straight, I was never a huge Taylor fan, but felt compelled to defend him from all the imo unwarranted criticism heaped on him. If we start breaking down all of the past champions titles reigns, we will find that they have had fights were they not at their best. Styles make fights, and Im confindent that this is the fight that will silence all of you critics:deal

 

Yes, all great champions have had poor performances...but being held to close contests and not looking too fantastic five times in a row? All four are undoubtedly very good fighters, a couple of them were once great. The four of them are the very foundation of the Taylor hype machine. It isn't like he was an overrated hypejob before and then all of a sudden his last couple of years of accomplishment washed that away. He is overrated and hyped mainly based on the last couple years of accomplishment. People look at the wins on paper and talk about how he is great by right of his resume, which belies the fact that the names on that resume are an old and complacent Hopkins, a smaller and older Wright (who won), and two welterweights too small to be taken seriously (however talented...and again, there is plenty of credence to any argument that Spinks won). Strip Taylor of his last five fights? His resume is just okay, not too special. Analyze his last five fights, and performance in those fights - beyond the superficially impressive boxrec figures of 4-0-1 against top-rated former champs including a couple of p4p kings? Underwhelming. Struggling to beat good/formerly great fighters half your age and/or half your size shouldn't earn you the kind of praise Jermain is showered with. As of this moment, Arthur Abraham is the best middleweight in the world. Jermain isn't awful, but he isn't anywhere near the proven best either - he's an athletic, underachieving ham-and-egger who owes his promoters, corner, and several judges a couple of summer houses each.

 

Why the **** would I do that? If Joe wins, Mikkel is still the #2 SMW in the world. You don't drop out of a #2 spot when #1 beats you. Likewise, if Mikkel wins, they swap. It's not suddenly going to become "Oh Joe was overrated" or "Joe is shot" and he shoots way down the rankings. It will be, Mikkel has taken the crown of #1, and Joe is still right behind him at #2 until/unless he loses to an inferior fighter (implausible).

 

:deal :thumbsup