The pre-existing cut in Taylor's mouth: did it cost him the fight?

good question? but if Taylor would have taken that in consideration then we might not have seen such a great fight? think like this..... if Taylor would have ran he would have no chance of winning whatsoever! taylor was true warrior and probably the fastest hands Boxer in history but he fought with too much heart sometimes instead of strategy!

 

........Interesting question.

I guess I would have to say "no" to scenario one, as if there was anything to make Taylor uncomfortable, it was hooks to the body, rights to the head, just the stuff all fighters have to endure. For a tough nut like Taylor, such a thing shouldn't have been that much of a worry. That said, what could have made him uncomfortable (i.e., sick) was the pint of blood he supposedly swallowed during the fight. Makes me ill just to think of it.

For scenario number two, reference my last comments above. Very possible. He lost a lot of blood.

I don't think Steele was prompted to stop the fight based on the cut or the appearance it gave Taylor. He'd looked like hell for a few rounds, and it didn't seem a stoppable "offense" if you will.

 

That's a good point. I too have doubts as to wether Taylor would have had as much success if he had tried to move more....that might have been a problem, as Chavez was very calculated, accurate, and focused that night.

As for the cut....the cut didn't cost Taylor the fight....his leaky defense and lack of upper body movement cost him the fight. Everyone has a theory as to why victory was so unfairly snatched away from Taylor in such a cruel manner, but maybe, just maybe, if he got hit a few less times, he would have arrived at a different outcome.

 

Chavez deserved the win, the cut did not help Taylor's cause, but from my little interaction with boxers, I have yet to meet one who has gone into a fight 100% fit.

The truth is if it was a 15 rounder (which it should of been) people would be merely talking about an excellent fight where both fighters gave it their all, Chavez proving himself Mexico's finest ever, Taylor that he had substance to go with his style.

 

Steele stopped the fight because Taylor wasn't Chavez.

 

By the way, I've no qualms with the stoppage.

 

Steele stopped the fight because he's a ****ing dumb ****.

 

I've never really gone for this "are you ok?" stuff myself. Many a fighter has said 'yes' when they obviously haven't been able to scratch their arses. If Chvez had been floored (and ahead on points) Steel would have just looked at him without asking him the question I reckon.

 

Actually it is because he is a rather good ref, who has got the most important '0' a ref can have... no ring deaths.

Better to stop a fight a dozen punches too early (there can always be a rematch, like Chavez and Taylor did) than one punch too late.

 

This is fair. He was a very good ref...then he seemed to become King's boy in the 1990s and let himself down.