meldrick taylor vs chavez I

With only two seconds left on the clock and both men seriously exhausted, I think Taylor would have survived the final bell. He was in attrocious condition though, and I never realized just how bad, until seeing the fight for the second time maybe 15-18 years later. Taylor had slipped to the canvas from fatigue about a minute before the actual knockdown. His face was horribly battered, and after the fight, he was urinating blood and suffering from dehydration. He spent a long period in the hospital following the grueling ordeal. I was 15 when they had their first match, and had initially been cheering for Chavez, but as the fight went on, I found myself pulling for Taylor.

I've often wondered what would have become of Tayor had he gotten the win. Would he have rematched Chavez immediately, or would he have held off for a year or two while taking on a few other men? Its difficult to say. There were other good fights to be made at the time, and Hector Camacho certainly would have been a big ticket. The other title holder at 140 was Juan Coggi, but I don't recall him as being a big draw. As it turned out, Taylor moved up to 144 and won a very good fight over a decent titlist named Aron Davis - a bout that I watched on the same evening that my brother lost his fiance in a plain crash. Many have said over the years that Taylor's loss to Chavez had permanantely ruined him, but against Davis, he looked about as sharp as I had ever seen him. He would also score another big win over Glenwood Brown, before moving up in weight to face the flourishing Terry Norris - a foolish move on his team's part in my opinion.. One man that I would have always kept Taylor away from was Simon Brown. had they met in the ring anytime between 1990-1993, Brown would have hurt him in my eyes.

 

Richard Steele asked Taylor if he wanted to continue not once, but twice. Taylor gave Steele no response so Steele called the fight. It's true that Taylor was distracted by his own cornermen but the fact is that he did not respond to the referee. Steel did what he thought was right.

There was only a couple more seconds left in the fight, so Taylor could have made it out without getting hit again but I still feel that Steele was acting in the fighters best interest. He had no choice but to stop the fight since Taylor gave him no response.

 

I agree. Richard Steele has been unfairly discredited for that decision over the past 20 years, when in truth he was acting professionally. If anyone should be blamed for his defeat, it should be Lou Duva. Before the start of round 12, Duva told Taylor that he needed to go out and be aggressive in an effort to take the round.. Knowing that his fighter was exhausted ( and probably ahead ) he should have urged him to be cautious and go into survival mode, rather than to take foolish risks. The other thing he did, as you already commented on, was trying to get Meldrick's attention when the referee was talking to him after the knockdown.. Duva played a much bigger role in losing that fight for Meldrick, not Steele.

 

I doubt Taylor would have been hurt seriously, but if that were in the middle of round 5 he would have been stopped soon after. Steele did the right thing in my mind. He stopped it when the fighter could not continue. I always thought he was courageous.

 

well maybe you are right, but it was almost over -one of two punches added to the many which landed wouldn't make that much difference. I remember Taylor also had the same injury Margarito has now, the fractured orbital bone, but I do not remember a surgery for him.
I actually have always thought Steele did a great job in stopping that fight. Duva was a fool for yelling at Taylor and getting Taylor to look to the side, which was a big factor in Steele stopping the fight. Either way, Chavez ended up being a much greater fighter than Taylor. Had they rematched in the case Taylor won, Chavez would have won probably near round 10-had it happened in 1990. As it turned out, the rematch Chavez and Taylor had in 1994 ended in 8. I was surprised that Taylor lasted that long in 1994.

 

Steele still ruined Taylors career. The fact he was up, Steele should of been aware of the time and let him continue. It was a bird brain move on Steeles part and noone thought much of him after that fight, and he continued to dig himself deeper with a **** stoppage in the Tyson Ruddock fight.
A lot has changed about the thought on that fight in the subsequent years, but at the time, Steele became public enemy number 1 and was booed loudly in every fight after until he retired. He was not a great ref, too involved too quick to make a bad decision.

 

I thought he was great. What happens with some refs are they have that seemingly bad decision which people do not like, and then the ref will referee other fights after, and everything is analyzed so much that they are a little unsure and insecure about when to stop it. The previous fight affects their confidence and they are never the same at stopping fights at the right time. Taylor was out on his feet. How great would that have looked a guy who everyone knew would be knocked out in seconds winning that fight? As much as we say he could have won it, he still was a few punches away from being stopped. Steele said his job was not to look at the clock.

 

Steele ai'nt a timekeeper & it's a 3 minute round & Taylor was gone so why should Chavez be cheated out of his incredible victory just because there was 2 seconds left. Steele asked taylor if he was alright & he just turned his head away....END OF CONTEST:smoke

Anyway it was the Chavez right-hand 10 seconds earlier that scrambled Taylor's brains as you heard it above the screaming of the crowd (THUD) & i should know as I WAS THERE

If anyone is to blame it's LOU DUVA:deal

 

And what if losing that last round cost him the decision (it wouldnt be Duva didnt know at the time), hindsight is 50-50

 

As things are, he lost the last round on the cards anyway, but still would've won the fight had it gone the distance. Had he fought more cautiously and avoided a knockdown, he would have been better off.

 

I'm not saying there was corruption in this case, Steele was technically in the right, but we all know refs are told by promoters 'call a TKO to the challenger at the first valid opportunity'. I wouldn't put that past Don King and the fact Steele also stopped Tyson-Rudduck was a little questionable on a King shows a patern. Then again its no easy job being a ref, protect a fighter or stop a fight early?

 

Hindsight is 50-50 though

 

Steele had no problem letting unresponsive fighters go on if they were his favourites or the hometown boy either.

No way he does this to Chavez if the roles are reversed.