Meldrick taylor vs Kostya Tszyu At 140

I would take Kostya. You had to rough him up and hurt him to beat him. Can't see Taylor doing this. Also, for all of Taylor's speed he got tagged. Kostya could make the end start with one punch. Over 12 rounds, I think he would find the mark. He set up his right hand beautifully and the punch was very quick to the mark.

 

Agreed, Taylor didn't have a reliable chin, I seriously doubt Taylor would be able to go the full 12 without getting tagged hard with that powerful right hand, the ending would probably be similar to Kostya's fight with Zab...

Taylor was also prone to heavy facial swelling in long fights, this would be a nightmare fight for him in my opinion....

 

Pre-Chavez Taylor would overwhelm Tszyu and win in commanding fashion. Tszyu is being overrated here.

To say Taylor didn't have a reliable chin is downright STUPID. He had a solid chin, and it took Chavez 11.5 rounds of breaking him down to stop him.

 

If Taylor had more pop, I'd probably favor him. I don't think he carries enough to exploit Tszyu's vulnerability to swarmers, though. Trading in some flash for grit would better serve him here.

As it stands, Kostya's sniping isn't a friendly styles matchup at all for a guy who likes to trade and shoeshine more than he had to. Tszyu's timing and placement was elite, and Meldrick wasn't the hardest to find in the first place.

Very good fight, though. I could see Taylor's volume serving him well on the cards despite my belief that Tszyu lands the most effective shots. Taylor might pull it off if he lasts the full 12 due to judges commonly valuing volume over damage these days.

 

I would go with Kosta here, he was less of an attrition fighter than Chavez but had better one punch power and I think he would hurt Mel and finish him. Mel was a complete fighter and went to the head and body nicely but I think firepower makes a difference in this one

 

Tszyu can't win a decision, but I think he'd snipe Taylor. That short laser-like right hand down the pipe is the perfect medicine for a busy shoe-shining combination-puncher like Taylor.

Sometimes it's not the number of punches you land.

 

I dont agree that Taylor had a weak chin. any mistakes by Taylor in this one and he finds himself in trouble, or on the canvas

Edge: Taylor

 

Tzyu never fought one remotely elite fighter. His whole career is off of he bum Zab Judah

Taylor was easily out boxing prime Chavez when Taylor barely had 20 fights. TZyu cannot pull off what Chavez did. Taylor is not zab Judah.

 

If Taylor fought a disciplined fight and stuck & moved for 12 rounds he would have every chance of staying out of harms way and winning on points. But more likely he'd be drawn into trading, like he was against Chavez, and that destructive right hand of Tszyu would decide the contest.

Tszyu by stoppage for me.

 

I echo most peoples' opinion, but it would be a great fight while it lasted.

Their styles gel nicely - the highly active, rapid-fire boxer vs. the stalking puncher.

 

Taylor was outspeeding and outworking Chavez. It wasn't really a masterful display of boxing, moving, defense, using angles, etc...it was Taylor's insane workrate and speed doing it for him. He was doing good work in the exchanges, although it caught up to him.

 

Tszyu late KO.

 

Taylor takes every round on the cards until Tszyu stops him in the twelfth round with 2 seconds left.