Something was off with Josh Taylor

Leaving his trainer and his past two performances have been really bad. I love Josh Taylor too, seems like a cool dude. Teo just seems like the type of boxer that wins when the walls against him. It actually pretty interesting if you really think about it. Losses to someone like Kambosis but beats Loma and Taylor? Good stuff. I can't wait to see Taylor's return in the end though.

 

He is 25 though and jumped into the deep end. Not many doing what he has done at 23 to 25 only one fighter fighting killers at that age, pacquioa.When he went thru murderous row of lethal mexican legends and warriors.Top it off he jumped up from 135 to 140 no catch weight and owned the biggest 140 in boxing.Kinda reminds me of that margarito vs pacquioa scenario.Teo looked like midget against Taylor but bossed him around and won emphatically.I dont wanna hear the lay off crap.He is huge and has the physical advantage.Great shape and but he got beat fair and square.

 

Maybe there was something off, or maybe it was a case of styles again.

Taylor is at his best when he has an opponent right in front of him, allowing him able to use his size and strength up close, both Catterall and Lopez are pure counter punchers, both at their best when they have an opponent coming to them. So it was a case of Taylor facing two opponents who exploited his weaknesses and not allowing him to work inside and a case of two opponents who found his style worked to their strengths.

Lopez looked bad against Kambosos and Martin, where he was the fighter forced onto the front foot and made to pressure but against Taylor and Loma he had opponents who allowed him to just sit back and wait and counter as they came in.

Personally I have never rated Taylor that highly as I saw the holes in his style and while I was surprised at Teo's success in hindsight I simply think it was based to a case of styles not meshing in Taylor's favour. If Taylor is allowed to fight up close, he is still a damn good fighter but he isn't some top level P4P fighter and never has been, he just needs to be carefully matched up in the future to ensure he faces opponents that allow him to utilise his strengths.

 

JT hasn't make any excuses, his fans shouldn't as well.

 

That’s because Lopez is not Prograis or Ramirez lmfao

 

Save the excuses. I was backing Taylor. I wanted Taylor to win. But Teo beat him clean. Josh looked his normal self early on. Teo simply started countering him with a speed and accuracy that Josh hadn't faced before.

Josh was simply out-talented and outclassed.

 

Teo was divorce and mrs got his son and half his money.Mentally that would destroy most men.Taylor excuse looks weak at this point.

 

I bet a lot of guys on here feel ridiculous now. It was only 2 years ago that a portion of this forum was claiming Taylor had the ability to beat Crawford.

 

I only watched the highlights. Taylor’s defence was sloppy! Every time lopez countered him with a shot with some weight behind Taylor went flying! I think he’s done! Could see ohara beating him now

 

Yep

 

His defense has ALWAYS been lacking. This wasn't some new development.

Don't be idiotic - talking about that last sentence. Ohara Davies is a total bum. Just because Josh got outclassed by an elite talent, doesn't mean he'd suddenly lose in a rematch to a mug like Davies.

 

Yeah that's just crazy it's not like he lost to some journeymen or some fringe contender, he lost to a guy who was once seen the best at 135lbs who is gifted with both top level speed and power. Calling fighters shot or faded just because they lost to another top fighter is just dumb. But it all too often happens, Holyfield was supposedly shot a bunch of times after every loss. you can't just right off a fighter because they lose to another world class fighter.

 

I think your analysis of the first half of the fight is spot on. I thought Taylor just looked off for reasons that can be debated but I don't think that him not being at his best can be, just my opinion.

 

Nobody looks good getting soundly beaten. Yeah he was inactive, yeah his previous fight was a hard one, yeah being champ will sometime sap a fighter of their motivation and drive. But ultimately it looked to me like he came in confident, was hit hard over and over, and wasn't able to adjust and settled in to that rhythm.