hopkins vs. taylor

**not_big_enuf** · 07-11-2005, 10:16 AM

It's almost fight night boys! Anyone think Taylor has a shot? I mean a real legitimate shot not just "if he lucks out and blasts The Executioner on one shot" -- anyone?

Can't wait for Saturday! I haven't seen Taylor fight that much, so I can't comment on who I think is going to win other than to say Hopkins is a flat out gamer and he's going to be ready to fight for sure.

yankees3 · 07-11-2005, 01:30 PM

I've only seen Taylor once so i don't know much about him besides what I've read and heard. I'm just hoping Hopkins wins just so we can get a Hopkins - Wright fight. I'd pay $50 for that one.

spitboy · 07-11-2005, 04:58 PM

Hopkins v. Taylor is miles more interesting than Hopkins v. Wright; that would be too defensive and would very likely go the distance. With Taylor, Hopkins will be forced to fight. This is going to be one hell of a match... I think it will rival Corrales v. Castillo.

If you haven't seen much of Jermain Taylor, you are in for a treat. He is the next king of the division.. whether he takes the belts now or in a year or two, he is the next champ. He has all the skills and intangibles that Hopkins has-- plus more power and explosiveness. His nickname is one of the most appropriate for any fighter today... BAD INTENTIONS. Nearly every punch he throws is straight, hard, fast, and meant to knock you flat. Where Hopkins relies on an accumulation, Taylor has the power to stop a fight at anytime. Hopkins throws crazy accurate combinations, but the snap of Taylor's 1-2 is going to be a shock once Hopkins eats a few rights.

The only advantage I give to Hopkins in this one is the experience that comes with being a champ for a decade. Now, B.Hop is certainly in my top-5 of favorite fighters to watch.. his speed and combinations and elusiveness are very entertaining. But this is one fighter he will not be able to intimidate. Taylor believes he is ready to take the belts and he will pressure Hopkins and not allow him to dance around the ring. Is this the fight where B.Hop shows his age and slows down just enough to get caught? I'm going to have to go with Taylor upsetting Hopkins by TKO in the 9th.

THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD! Can you tell I'm excited?

spitboy · 07-11-2005, 05:05 PM

ps. I'll post a link to the torrent of the fight once it is up.. so check this thread an hour after the fight if you want to d/l it

**not_big_enuf** · 07-12-2005, 02:08 PM

me and my boy are buying it... damn, just a couple years ago we had a black box and watched it at a discount price. what's happening to the world around us?

**EEmain** · 07-12-2005, 02:15 PM

Hopkins doesn`t need this fight.. he wants it... and wins

spitboy · 07-12-2005, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EEmain

Hopkins doesn`t need this fight.. he wants it... and wins

Yea lots of respect goes to Hopkins for taking this fight in the first place. There are plenty of other fights he could take with much less risk.

**Iron Warrior** · 07-12-2005, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by not_big_enuf

me and my boy are buying it... damn, just a couple years ago we had a black box and watched it at a discount price. what's happening to the world around us?

Ain't that the damm truth, those boxes were awesome.

BingeAndPurge · 07-15-2005, 11:07 PM

You gotta love Hopkins. He doesnt have to do any of the fights that he has mentioned doing as part of his "farewell tour." I listened to a phone conversation with Jim Lampley yesterday, I think it was on JT "The Brick." JL sounded like he was leaning towards Taylor for being "younger, stronger, faster, and, perhaps, hungrier . . . a combination that usually wins."

I still give Bernard the edge. He's the champ, he doesnt lose, and he is notorious for dictating the action and controlling the fight. I think he needs an early knockdown so that he can settle in and take the points.

mosdef · 07-16-2005, 02:03 AM

This is Hopkins fight, hes six months from retirement and if he didnt know he could take Taylor i dont think he would took this fight. Taylor has never fought anyone on Hopkins level before..hes just too inexperienced.

SHSUStudent · 07-16-2005, 05:01 PM

I'm putting money on Taylor at sportsbetting.com.

Hopkins is a great champ and always in great shape, but I just don't know if he has the speed/reflexes of his youth at 40. Bhop can't out-train his age forever. Taylor is younger, faster, and much stronger.

Also, BHop hasn't really fought anyone recently... I know he knocked out ODLH, but Oscar hasn't really been a fighter for quite some time. Good chance he will get old in this fight imo.

If you guys havn't seen Taylor fight you're in for a treat... I'm seen him score a legitimate knockdown with a jab in a previous fight. He's tons fun to watch and has some serious skills.

I think it can go either way, but if Taylor responds well and doesn't buckle under the pressure of his first "superfight" then I think he has a good chance.

On a side note... I do think BHop has been a great champ. I mean how many guys could ever have defended their title 20 times. But with that being said
I'm also hoping Taylor will win because Hopkins style is SOO damn boring to watch. I know it's all about getting the win, but the bottom line is that all athletes are entertainers, an area that Bhop does not excel in.

spitboy · 07-16-2005, 05:41 PM

^^ I agree on every point except that B.Hop isn't entertaining. You have to admire his ring generalship and control of the fight-- up until the point he decides he is ready to put some punches together. Sure, you could probably tune in to the 5th round of most of his fights and then start watching.. but that won't be the case tonight.

SHSUStudent · 07-16-2005, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spitboy

^^ I agree on every point except that B.Hop isn't entertaining. You have to admire his ring generalship and control of the fight-- up until the point he decides he is ready to put some punches together. Sure, you could probably tune in to the 5th round of most of his fights and then start watching.. but that won't be the case tonight.

As a true boxing fan I def have to agree with you in that respect... Hopkins is one of the smartest fighters of all time and exemplifies the expression "the sweet science". I guess I just prefer a fight with a bit more action than most Hopkins fights when I'm staring at the bottom of my Corona.

SHSUStudent · 07-17-2005, 01:15 AM

Game over.... Taylor wins and made me some money. Pretty entertaining fight.

spitboy · 07-17-2005, 02:05 AM

I'm a little disappointed, but still fairly entertaining. The Larios undercard was worth it anyway. Fight torrent attached.

**not_big_enuf** · 07-17-2005, 11:23 AM

Here's my quick take on the fight. B-Hop is the better fighter, and just flat out blew it by not initiating offense earlier. When he did choose to take control, he did easily.

Overall, not looking at rounds, Hopkins won that fight. If you want to say that Jermain Taylor was more active early on, I will not disagree, but Hopkins was defensive and more accurate early but simply waited too long. I hate how boxing is judge by rounds because a close without a knockdown is a 10-9, but a round where one guy is clearly dominating is a 10-9.

Taylor dominated few rounds. He was more active early, but did he win those rounds? Too hard to tell because hopkins was more accurate more defensive.

Pretty good fight overall. I think Hopkins is the better fighter and should have taken command. I don't want to say "it's a shame" but I think Bernard is still the class of that weightclass, and I hope a rematch proves me right.

I have absolutely NO problems giving that fight to Taylor either. I do have a problem with the one judge giving the 12th to him though.

Great fight, can't wait for the rematch.

**tattoopierced1** · 07-18-2005, 08:16 AM

Hopkins definatly lost out by not being more aggressive in the first 6 rounds of the fight...I think if he would have been the aggressor earlier on, that the decision would have been different....i was right on Taylor winning though....but I would have loved to see Hopkins retain the title...i guess we'll have to wait for the rematch..

yankees3 · 07-18-2005, 12:47 PM

I just read that HBO is holding Oct. 1 as the date for the rematch. Does anybody now if Corralles- Castillo (Oct. 18) is PPV?
I hope not because I really wanna see both fights but my satellite bill would be ridiculous that month with 2 fights and the NFL ticket.