Meldrick "TNT Kid" Taylor - pinpointing the moment the fuse was snuffed...

JCC took a lot out of him that was a damaging fight and Taylor was hurt

Fighters do not always know they have lost something until they run into another force like he did against JCC that night...hot and cold performances after a fight like that is a sign of the toll one fight can take....any fighter who has been in a brutal fight can tell you that the willingness to walk through that fire a second time is tougher with every fight

 

The Chavez fight was his Manilla.

Anyway, he had a style that didnt bode well for s protracted stay at the top.

Still, he reached a high ceiling and his, with his acomplishments, seem s bit underrated.

 

Not gonna exaggerate but Chavez killed him.

 

He did not look right in the Ramos fight, he had lost a step. With hindsight the Davis fight was a much better win than I gave credit for at the time. The Garcia fight suggested Taylor was struggling to keep it together, and although the flash knockdowns were the unconcerning types, that Taylor seemed unable to box Brown, being drawn into a war he did not need suggested to me Norris would have his number, although I did not think it would be as brutal as it was.

I still thought when he came back down he would too much for the merely 'good' Venezuelan Irishman, but Norris had finished off what Chavez started.

 

I've always said Taylor, even before Chavez had a tendency to stand and trade too often, and he received punishment against fighters that wasn't that special more than his incredible athletic ability should've allowed . He was literately a shooting star, he shined brightly for a short period but faded very quickly. He was extremely fast, but didn't have great pop in his punches . It allowed Chavez to walk him down without fear , and allowed other fighters to last longer then they should've . His height and weight and lack of punching power suggest he should've remained at light/superlight weight . So Chavez in my opinion was the tipping point, and after the wear and tear of that fight his career was going down the mountain. The Norris fight only proved how far he had slid, and he didn't belong at superwelter. It does nothing for Norris other than add a "name" opponent win , but one that was clearly faded, like most of Norris's "name" wins.

 

That and from what I remember reading Taylor like alot of his Philadelphia predecessors didnt know how to take it easy in the gym. Every spar was a fight and he was sparring seasoned fighters by the time he was 17 yrs old.

 

Stout post.