I think this Taylor/Pavlik debate is quite funny on here. But to add my two pence; never underestimate the proven article... Look at your history in and around this division. Michael Olijade: The cannot miss replacement for Hagler, until Tate come along. Frank Tate: Took the mantle from Olijade, then along comes a man he was very much second too. Gerald McClellan: Looks brilliant taking out Jackson, but the moment he steps into the ring with a proven star at or near his best, he blew it. And of course most recently Jeff Lacy: Yes he still can rebuild his career, but despite looking a Million Pounds against the Robin Reid's of this world, when he met his first real classy opponent, he was found wanting. Pavlik maybe for real, but history says it probably is not so. Taylor is hardly the second comming, but he gets the results when he needs to, and always seems to rise to the occasion especially when he goes into the fight the underdog...
I get the drift of you're post but McClellan "blew it"????:twisted: More like THE REFEREE BLEW IT!!!! He knocked Benn clean out of the ring and had the Alfred "The big piece of ****" Asaro not PHYSICALLY prevented the G-man from capitalizing?? The fight was over!!! Instead, the worst referee EVER, pushed off, broke, and delayed the action as much as he could to allow Benn to get through that first round. McClellan didnt blow a damn thing, that fight is a permanent TRAVESTY of boxing. Appropriate topic, understood point, one a bad example. :good
Forgive and forget, that inept piece of refereeing cost me £100 and a potential £850 pay day, but hey that was 12 years ago. McClellan is a fair example of what I am saying IMO. He did beat a still dangerous Jackson twice (although I think by fight two, Jackson was finished), but when he met anyone with a bit of class, he lost be it Benn or earlier in his career Dennis Milton (who was a fair boxer).
Taylor's proven what? That he can keep it close enough for the HBO suits to get him gift decisions? Or that he can barely beat light-hitting fighters moving up from lower divisions, and look pretty unimpressive doing so? Pavlik is the first REAL middleweight in his prime Taylor has faced, and the hardest hitting too. There is a reason he's been facing all those light-hitters from the lower weight classes ever since Hopkins rocked him! Pavlik is gonna knock this fraud the f*ck out, and earlier than people expect, too! :yep
Zakman, I hope you're man enough (and I have no reason to believe you are'nt) to admit and credit Jermaine Taylor if he schools Pavlik. Hopefully you wont be like many others around here who say so and so will knock the hell out of so and so.......and they keep on saying it over and over through the years, title defense after title defense, until one day the fighter he despises finally loses out of his prime and the hater goes....."See, I told you so!" Bottom line is whether you agree that Jermaine has been winning his last several fights or not, you have to respect the fact that even if you dont agree, their are plenty who believe Jermaine earned and deserved each decision that he got. Looking good against defensive types like Hopkins, Winky and Spinks is almost near impossible. A fighter like Pavlik is more conventional and someone who will bring it.....meaning that Jermaine will have ample opportunity to display his skill. If Jermaine displays those skill, I look foward to search for your opinion on the outcome and Jermaine. I'm a believer in that Jermaine is a solid fighter, and I'm willing to eat a little crow if he should lose to Pavlik. I hope you help yourself to a good size helping of that crow if Pavlik should lose.
