Taylor's habit of brawling would be his problem here. He doesn't hit hard enough to dissuade Cuevas & I'm not sure his chin holds up either.
1. This has nothing to do with the topic. 2. No. Cuevas would stop Chavez at 147. Chavez never did a goddamn thing at welter. He topped out at 140. 3. Cuevas KO's Taylor.
Cuevas big at any championship distance , 12-15 rds. Taylor possibly could survive a 10rd fight, but just barely. Cuevas isn't close to Chavez in the skills department, but Chavez wasn't in Cuevas's ball park for punching power. This fight would be contested at welterweight a Hugh advantage for Cuevas plus Taylor's lack of punching power and defensive lapses means a bad night for him. Taylor probably wins the first 5-6 rds easily, with his rapid fire combinations, but he would still be getting hit cleanly and worn down , by the 8-9 rds, the momentum would've clearly turned in Cuevas's favor and by the 10th rd Taylor would be in serious trouble, in the 11th or 12th rd Taylor would be counted out on his back. Knocked out cold, ref wouldn't bother to count.
I liked Meldrick best at Super lightweight. At welter he was decent but not anyone that I would pit against ATG welters. Pipino Cuevas by stoppage.
But would Cuevas get to Taylor? I can sort of see this going the way Donald Curry v. Hwang Joon-seok did, with Cuevas hitting a lot of air. Cuevas would floor Taylor if he caught him, and that is the question, I guess.
Cuevas would be hitting air??? Trouble catching him??? I'm sorry, but I thought we were talking about Meldrick Taylor, not Wilfred Benitez. The thought of Meldrick Taylor being an elusive target is comical. This is a style mismatch. The only possible result is Mel getting taken out violently.
You may be right. Cuevas really was a plodder though; and I would think (pre-brain damage) Meldrick would approach Cuevas more cautiously?
Doesnt matter what version of Taylor in this case. He plain and simple was not a cautious fighter. He was an offensive technician. A damn good one, but his defense left a lot to be desired and he wouldnt be able to hurt Cuevas. He wins the first few rounds with his handspeed... til he gets caught in an exchange with that Cuevas hook... then its goodnight Philly.
Pipino Cuevas would detonate Chavez like a stick of dynamite in a mail box.. Now where were we, oh, Taylor looks great early then gets wobbled sometime in the fight and gets stopped
If Taylor fights a PERFECT fight, he gets a UD. Even one mistake and he's out...and he had a tendency at times to brawl a bit when he probably shouldn't have, which would be the worst possible strategy against Cuevas.
Pipino Cuevas breaks the other orbital, Meldrick Taylor would show movement early, then decides to exchange with Cuevas, he gets stopped cold by a right hand, Pipino by TKO 6.
