Something was off with Josh Taylor

It kind of reminded me of the version of Sergey Kovalev that fought Isaac Chilemba. He was in that weird uncomfortable spot where he was still able to make 175 without being near death but was also at the point where he'd simply outgrown the division and by continually making it, he ended up being just off a step and sacrificing some of his mental and physical sharpness and power, also his gas tank shrank.

 

At the very least, you've got to admit, my Kovalev comparison holds a little weight. Taylor was sharp as hell and pretty effective for about 4 rounds, then he mentally and physically fell apart in about 2 rounds, his timing, strength and reflexes went and seemed utterly lost for the second half. Taylor has always been a thinking man's fighter, who can usually adjust to any adjustment. You could see the wheels turning late against Catterall as well, but he seemed utterly incapable of even processing what was happening, and was missing clear as day opportunities for counters. Some of that had to do with Lopez's speed and him finally getting stronger and more comfortable at the weight, but a little of it was Taylor outgrowing it and staying on fight too long. The year and a half off didn't help either.

 

Was something off with Teofimo when he fought Kambosos and Martin because he clearly lost to both?

That's two legit losses against fighters his size in his backyard where everything was stacked heavily in his favour that his fans want to pretend didn't happen

Does that erase his wins over Loma, Taylor and Commey like Taylor losing to Teofimo in his backyard erases all his wins over Rougarou, JCR, Postol, Baranchyk etc?

What about his real struggle against Nakatani? You know, the guy that had Teofimo saying he wasn't going to fight any tall fighters anymore afterwards and who after seeing a healthy Loma beat half to death he ran in the opposite direction of the rematch from at 1000 mph even though both he and his father were in attendance because Top Rank specifically made the fight in order to set up the rematch, which all parties had agreed on?

 

But that's kind of the point, once his gas tank started emptying and the 16 months off caught up with him, he looked like a lost ghost in there, like his brain cut off. I know when I get tired and start feeling spent, I noticeably get scatterbrained as hell. The disparity between the Taylor from first and second halves of this fight, is actually concerning, it was that shocking.