Is Jermain Taylor the next Jeff Lacy -- 'shot' after his first loss?

I think he will come back strong. He showed more fire in that fight than in his last efforts. Everyone can improve on their skill sets and tactics but no one can teach heart and desire. I think Taylor had that back at the start of the fight. He clearly wanted to knock Pavlick out but didnt know how to finish him properly. Now he's lost he'll realise what he needs to do to be a better fighter and will do them rather than coasting along as a champion. Of course, having said that, he may think 'i've made my money so **** it.'

 

to be fair to lacy, we don't know if the guy is done yet, he suffered an awful injury and is still hopefully on the comeback trail. i for one would love to see him back in the ring, great power and an exciting fighter, can still mix it with the 168 pounders.

 

Taylor wants to move up to 168, right?

I'll answer your question with one of my own: Would you pick Taylor over Lacy after what you saw the other night? Do you think Taylor can outbox Calzaghe or Kessler? What if RJJ beats Trinidad, would Taylor have a chance against him?

Taylor does not have great speed, does not have great power a 160, does not have a great chin at 160, does not have a great skillset... how is he supposed to even win a fight at 168 when he'll most likely have ZERO advange over anyone there.

 

Lacy isn't shot. He came back, started winning and looking like he did pre Calzaghe but then got injured and still made it VERY close with one arm!

Now Lacy has gone through two physically demanding fights. He has undergone silly injuries to his nose, jaw, eyes, shoulder etc He has had a long layoff etc so we'll have to see if he can comeback.

Taylor isn't shot either.

These guys could mentally be ruined though.

 

Taylor already fought two top notch guys, and hes certainly not as one dimensional as Lacy. Lacy lost to the first real fighter he stepped up to fight.

 

Hell be back, but Pavlik comfirmed what all of us knew already (well those of us who werent in denial) that Taylor is better when hes fighting featherfisted fighters, and has no defense.

 

JT should make a strong comeback. This lost to instill the hunger back in him - to show that he really has something to prove.

And Jeff Lacy isn't a washed up fighter - the kid lost one fight - then had a bad shoulder injury. Give him a chance to come back and see what he offers.

 

i agree that taylor is more athelete than fighter. i think that was a huge key in this fight. jermain could have gone to the olympics for any number of events but he just doesn't have the drive and passion for boxing. he doesn't seem to have any instinct on how to hurt or finish an opponent...when it happens it's almost by accident. some sports you can cost on pure ability and pick up paycheques....boxing is not one of them. look at the difference in mentality and attitude between taylor and roberto duran. THAT was a fighter

 

I don't think he's shot, but I don't know if he will ever be the same mentally. We'll have to wait and see.

 

If I had to make a decision now, I would say that he'll come back and do well. When Lacy lost he lost a one-sided ass beating where he lost every second of every round. Jermain put Pavlik down in the 2nd and was winning the fight (I actually had it scored about even). There were times when JT actually made Pavlik look amateurish so that combined with knowing that he can hurt Pavlik (see 2nd round) I think JT should believe that he has the ablility to defeat Pavlik. Of course if you look at Chavez/Taylor, that was a fight that Meldrick was winning before he got knocked out and he was never the same fighter again and that fight can't be compared to Lacy/Calzaghe because Lacy was far from winning so just because JT was ahead of Pavlik on points at the time he got knocked out doesn't mean he can pick up right where he left off. Hell I don't know?? :think

 

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lacy wasnt shot after his first loss he tore his rotator cuff in his next fight.

 

I don't think Taylor will ever be the same, I just don't see him recovering from this. That said, I still like him more than Lacey, whom was extremely over hyped. Lacy never was, if I recall correctly, in any close tough fights other than the JC fight where he got his ass handed to him. Taylor on the other hand had the Hopkins fights and the Wright fight, were he showed some toughness. Still with the beating he took, lack of punching power and lack of aggressiveness, I don't see a real bright future for him.

If he fights Pavlik in a immediate rematch, that will be the end of his career.

 

no