Loses that ruined career/life?

Yeah, he lost shortly after to Nelson, and said he saw Garcia's ghost in the ring.

He did have a very good fight with Gatti a couple years later on the Lewis-Golota undercard.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1007539/index.htm

 

Well, it did take something out of Taylor, but Taylor still had some success afterwards. He had the 2nd best win of his career a year after the first Chavez fight.

As for his health, well I don't think losing to Chavez suddenly made him more prone to brawling in fights, gym wars, or more of a spender outside the ring (I'm sure money played a part in him continuing to fight).