Meldrick Taylor: One of the most entertaining fighters to watch ever.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011.


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  1. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    His combination of incredible handspeed, good footspeed, solid pop, flash, and warrior mentality was hard to beat as far as excitement factors in. I can see different ways he could have been a more effective fighter, a more intelligent fighter perhaps... But for a short time, before he first met Chavez he was stunning to watch. What do you think of TNT?
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=porsK2f9emo[/ame]

    And sadly, the tragedy we all remember:
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H3xec0RFNY[/ame]
     
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    #1
  2. joebeadg

    joebeadg Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I really liked tayler, slick philly boxer. Very sad what happened to him. A real master boxer, my type of fighter
     
    joebeadg, Apr 18, 2011
    joebeadg, Apr 18, 2011
    #2
  3. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

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    His career really ended after Norris, not Chavez I. Taylor still beat Davis for a belt and had an underrated scrap with Glenwood Brown. He also gave a great effort in the rematch which many people forget. He was exciting and had enough pop to make people respect it. With his over eagerness to trade and leaky defense he never was going to have a long career sadly. Chavez ended his prime but MT was still a good fighter until his dumb management decided to put him in 154 to fight with a prime Norris. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
     
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    #3
  4. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    I'm not saying he wasn't a good fighter after Chavez... I just think some of his talent and brilliance was beaten out of him. I watched the Chavez-Taylor legendary nights episode and man, I feel sorry for him. His speech is so slurred. I can't believe he was still fighting then.

    Too much pride, too much heart. If only guys like Dirrell and Alexander had half the stones he did.


    I'm not sure how I feel about him being called a "slick" fighter. Taylor was a boxer, but he came to fight. He loved to engage, just like his idol.
     
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    #4
  5. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

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    :good:good:good:goodYou forgot Dawson. I agree with you but still his prime was beaten out of him after the first fight with Chavez. I used to hate the stoppage call from Steele but a few more punches may have done more harm to his already bad health. Steele did the right thing. It's also a shame that he was still fighting late 90s-early 00s. The guy could fight and I wish his career didn't end like it did.
     
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    #5
  6. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    I don't think Dawson lacks in heart per se. I DO think he has attention deficit disorder, and can't apply himself consistently because of pure lack of focus. I still dont know how i feel about the call. It's two seconds. Duva is partly to blame for drawing Taylor's attention. Taylor is to blame for not responding to Steele. And maybe Steele didn't make the right call.
     
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    #6
  7. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

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    He basically gave Pascal the belt. He was following him and not throwing enough punches. He does lack focus but his heart is still questionable imo. Even before Pascal he gave away rounds in Tarver 1. He fights with no drive or desire to be champ.

    Duva should have stayed off of the ring and Taylor should've responded. Too many factors to be included but maybe it's best for the fight to be ended like it did.
     
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    #7
  8. lefthook31

    lefthook31 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    He was definitely never the same after the Chavez fight.
     
    lefthook31, Apr 18, 2011
    lefthook31, Apr 18, 2011
    #8
  9. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

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    Agreed. Still good enough to pick up a title against Davis but was damaged after Chavez. Similar to Cotto after Margarito, another fight that a skilled boxer elects to brawl but succumbed to relentless pressure.
     
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    techks, Apr 18, 2011
    #9
  10. burt bienstock

    burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I agree Meldrick Taylor was a brave and exciting fighter. With tremendous hand speed and heart... He reminds me of Johnny Saxon, lightweight champion in the 1950s .He was doing great with tremendous handspeed until he met Carmen Basilio,and Tony DeMarco,was kod and went downhill fast. He also reminds me of today's Andre Berto,and Gil Turner also of Philly...a joy to watch ,was Meldrick !
     
    burt bienstock, Apr 18, 2011
    burt bienstock, Apr 18, 2011
    #10
  11. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    I gotta say, that handspeed is mesmerizing. His punches/combos have a flowing quality to them that are natural. I have to say that he has the fastest hands i've ever seen. The only who comes close is Patterson with single shots, but i've never seen anyone pop off combinations as fast as him, to the body and head.
     
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    #11
  12. Goyourownway

    Goyourownway Insanity enthusiast Full Member

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    I've always seen Meldrick Taylor as more of a fighter than an actual boxer.He was a brave fighter,but not a particularly intelligent one.He was only ever effective at engaging on the inside,using body punching and overwhelming opponents with sheer speed and volume.His limitations against fighters that were able to control distance and work from the outside were highlighted as early as the Howard Davis fight,and later on against Garcia and Espana.
     
    Goyourownway, Apr 18, 2011
    Goyourownway, Apr 18, 2011
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  13. Valane

    Valane Active Member Full Member

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    I have an awful lot of respect for Meldrick, great attitude in regards to fighting. Out of curiosity who was his idol?
     
    Valane, Apr 18, 2011
    Valane, Apr 18, 2011
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  14. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He was no slickster, that's for sure. Made for exciting fights, but just not my kind of stylist, really. Definitely a force to be reckoned with on his day, although I wouldn't favor him over many, if any true elites.
     
    El Bujia, Apr 18, 2011
    El Bujia, Apr 18, 2011
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  15. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    Agreed. I see him as a result of style conflicts. I get the impression he was trained more like a boxer but his strategy is that of a swarmer or volume puncher. He doesn't move his head enough or slip consistently(which is what happens when your goal is to pop off 3-7 punch combos at every opportunity. An interesting style in my opinion, there aren't many boxer/swarmer hybrids and maybe Taylor's fate is why.
     
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    Swarmer, Apr 18, 2011
    #15
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