TAYLOR VS. PAVLIK ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Posted on | September 25, 2007 | 3 Comments
TAYLOR VS. PAVLIK
** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **
By Tony Penecale
There has been an infusion of new blood in the middleweight division. Former Olympian Jermain Taylor dethroned long-reigning champion Bernard Hopkins and has tallied four defenses against quality opposition. Kelly Pavlik, a vicious puncher from Youngstown Ohio, is the #1 contender. Who will reign supreme when they meet in Atlantic City?
AGE, RECORD, AND STATS
Taylor: Age: 29 years old
Record: 27-0-1 (17 Knockouts)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 159 3/4 ** Weight for last bout (5-19-07)
Reach: 74”
Pavlik: Age: 25 years old
Record: 31-0 (28 Knockouts)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 159 3/4 * * Weight for last bout (5-19-07)
Reach: 75”
STYLE
Taylor: Is a well-schooled, technically-proficient boxer. Opens the bout behind a razor-sharp jab that keeps opponents off balance while dictating the pace. Also uses the jab to keep opponents moving back and creating openings for his straight right hand.
Pavlik: A tall and lanky brawler who likes to mix it up and throw knockout-caliber punches. Often ignores height and reach advantages and presses the action, fighting in the trenches, turning bouts into wars of attrition.
STRENGTHS
Taylor: * Athleticism – Taylor moves well with speed, agility, and above-average power.
* Jab – Taylor owns quite possibly the best jab in boxing. It is fast and sharp, with the ability to hurt or cut an opponent.
* Experience – Taylor has been in there with future Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright in three straight bouts. Tallied defenses against sturdy, volume-puncher Kassim Ouma and speedy, defensive-specialist Corey Spinks. Also competed in the 2000 Olympics, capping off an extensive amateur career. Has seen all types of styles in his fistic career.
Pavlik: * Power – Pavlik is a highlight-reel puncher. Has the ability to knock an opponent out with one shot. The straight right is his best punch but is also capable of ending a bout with a left hook.
* Poise – Pavlik keeps his composure when under fire. Not afraid to walk into opponent’s danger zone and is anxious to retaliate when hit.
* Range – Pavlik is a tall fighter with long arms. He can land his power punches from the outside, but is also an effective puncher in close.
WEAKNESSES
Taylor: * Fades Late – Taylor often boxes in a very tense manner which causes him to fade as the bout progresses. In both bouts against Hopkins and also against Ouma, Taylor was visibly tired in the later rounds and allowed his opponents to capture the momentum.
* Confidence – Boxing against such a difficult stretch of boxers has seemed to hinder not boost Taylor’s confidence. In his last bout, against Spinks, Taylor was cautious throwing punches against his light-punching opponent.
* Dissention – Taylor has not seemed to gel well with legendary trainer Emmanuel Stewart who signed on as chief trainer for Taylor’s last three bouts. Stewart is an offense-minded trainer and Taylor does not seem to heed his instructions between rounds.
Pavlik: * Ignores Defense – Pavlik focuses so much on his own offense, he leaves himself open to be hit with flush punches.
* Skin – Pavlik has seen that easily damages from opponent’s punches. In other bouts, he has come out with an assortment of bruises and lumps.
* Lack of Experience Against Good Boxers – Pavlik has fought a handful of good fighters that stood right in front of him. But his experience against good boxers, giving moment and angles, is limited.
BEST PERFORMANCES
Taylor: * Daniel Edourd (2/19/05) – Edourd was an undefeated brawler, a short spark-plug, that many thought would give Taylor fits. Taylor dominated from the opening bell landing his jab at will and overwhelming Edourd with power shots until the bout was halted in the 3rd round.
* William Joppy (12/4/04) – Joppy was a former world titlist who was looking to get back in the title picture. Taylor dominated him over 12 rounds boxing well, scoring a knockdown in the 5th round, and winning every round on the judge’s scorecards.
* Bernard Hopkins (7/16/05) – While many thought Hopkins deserved the decision, it doesn’t take away from what Taylor did in the bout. He gave Hopkins fits throughout, controlling the pace with the jab, and ended his decade-long title reign.
Pavlik: * Edison Miranda (5/19/07) – Miranda was touted to be the new HBO star and Pavlik was seen as a mere stepping stone on the way to a dream match with Taylor. But Pavlik took the fight to Miranda from the start, wearing him down before blasting him out in the 7th round.
* Jose Luis Zertuche (1/27/07) – Zertuche had never been down in his boxing career (pro or amateur). Pavlik punished him, knocking him down with a left hook, before finally knocking him cold with a single right hand in the 8th round.
* Grady Brewer (6/8/01) – This fight has taken on greater significance since Brewer won the 2nd series of The Contender. When they met as up-and-coming prospects, it was all Pavlik, as he floored Brewer three times before the bout was stopped in the 2nd round.
QUESTIONS
Taylor: * Will Taylor try to silence his critics and stand in front of Pavlik and put himself in danger?
* How will he respond to Pavlik’s constant pressure?
* If he falls behind early, will be able to sustain an attack later in the bout?
Pavlik: * Is he fast enough to keep pace with Taylor?
* Can his skin hold up to Taylor’s sharp jab?
* If Taylor dominates early, how will Pavlik respond?
TO WIN
Taylor: Taylor will need to box and give angles to Pavlik. He will need to keep the pace slow with this jab. A slugfest does not benefit Taylor so he will have to land first and move out of danger, which would cause damage to Pavlik’s face and open the doors for a late-round stoppage or decision victory.
Pavlik: Pavlik will need to jab with Taylor and force him to abandon his best weapon. From there, he will be able to more successful in landing right hands and forcing Taylor on his heels where Pavlik can end the show.
PENECALE PREDICTION
Taylor will open the bout with movement. He is not a dancer but he will shuffle laterally, firing single jabs against the aggressive Pavlik. Taylor is a fast starter, so he will control the first three rounds. He will feint with the jab, and then offer it in double and triple doses. It will land and will occasionally snap Pavlik’s head back.
Pavlik will show some wear around his eyes in the 4th round, but he will keep pressing forward. Every time Taylor stops, Pavlik will land a heavy-handed punch, primarily to Taylor’s shoulder’s and torso.
Stewart would implore Taylor to become more aggressive and regain the momentum that is slipping in Pavlik’s favor. While Taylor has glimpses of success, Pavlik will regain control in the 7th and 8th rounds. As Pavlik continues to press the action, the ring will start to get smaller for Taylor and he will find himself against the ropes more often.
Taylor will make the mistake of standing in front of Pavlik late in the 8 th round and exchanging punches. A booming right hand-left hook combo from Pavlik will send Taylor slumping to the canvas. He will pull himself up at the count of eight and after a long look; the referee will let it continue. Pavlik will look to close the show, firing a volley of punches and Taylor staggers back to the ropes. A monster left hook will contact and snap Taylor’s head back which will be enough to convince the referee to stop the bout. The “Ghost of Youngstown” will be the new middleweight champion of the world.
GRIFFIN VS. RUA UFC 76 FIGHT VIDEO
Posted on | September 24, 2007 | No Comments
Add to My Profile | More Videos
READ ABOUT WHAT THE RETIRED BOXERS’ FOUNDATION IS UP TO THIS MONTH
Posted on | September 24, 2007 | No Comments
CLICK HERE TO READ SEPTEMBER’S RETIRED BOXERS’ FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER
A LOOK BACK AT HOW ALI LOST HIS TITLE
Posted on | September 24, 2007 | No Comments
BOXING PRESS EXCLUSIVE
Why Muhammad Ali Is A Reigning Champion
To Lose His Title Because Of Incarceration
By Greg Goodrich, Boxing Press Editor in Chief
Clarification is needing concerning Muhammad Ali’s incarceration and stripping by the NYSAC and his abdication of his NBA title. For the reasons set forth below, Boxing Press recognizes Cassius Clay as
one of six reigning boxing champions to lose his title because of his incarceration (because of action and reaction, or cause and effect).
Cassius Clay defeated Charles ‘Sonny’ Liston for the World NYSAC, NBA Heavyweight title on February 25, 1964. Shortly thereafter, he announced his new name as being Cassius X. After Clay’s initiation as a Black Muslim (accepted member of the Nation of Islam), Malcom X confirmed upon his X surname on March 6, 1964. Later that night, Elijah Muhammad (the Prophet of the Nation of Islam) bestowed upon
Cassius X the new name Muhammad Ali. The name means ‘one who is rightly praised as the fourth rightly guided caliph’.
The exact reasons for Clay’s conversion (having been born and raised devote Christian in the Southern Baptist tradition of faith) has always been a disputed issue. Ali was a self-avowed Black Muslim from March 25, 1964 until March 24, 1975 (again announcing his conversion to Sunni Islam just after his successful title defense against Chuck Wepner).
The actual significance of Clay’s renaming is stooped in Arabic folklore and polytheistic tradition. The disambiguation of the original etymology of the name Muhammad Ali, traces back to the viceroy of Egypt,
Mohammad Ali who was born in 1769, and died 1849. That Ali was generally considered the founder of modern Egypt.
The name Muhammad is an English transliteration (Anglicized spelling) of Mohammad, which is culturally an adopted epithet of bestowed honor and blessing; and philologically the etymologically derived name of the founding prophet of Islam (appearing by name four times in the Quran). The surname Ali is a toponym of a town in Tibet, and serves as the primary male theophoric Arabic name in both ritual rites and predominant culture.
What led to Ali’s indictment, conviction, incarceration, and subsequent abdication of his World Heavyweight title is a fairly straight forward matter steeped in myopic phenomena.
On August 23, 1966, Clay petitioned the Selective Service seeking military exemption and signed it Cassius Clay, Jr. a/k/a Muhammad Ali, Special Field Minister, the Lost Nation of Islam. His request was
denied. On March 6, 1967, his A-1 draft classification was upheld.
On April 28 1967, Clay/Ali refused induction in to the United States Army, Since this act was considered to be illegal and treason, the NYSAC revoked his license to box professionally under its public policy provisions for conduct unbecoming of a champion. Other State Commissions followed suit, honoring the suspension.
On May 8, 1967, Clay/Ali was indicted for draft evasion by an empaneled Federal Grand Jury. On June 20, 1967, the jury for the US District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division returned a guilty verdict against Clay/Ali. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Judge Joe Ingraham for two counts of violating the Universal Military Training and Service Act. Clay/Ali was also fined $10,000.
After being jailed, Clay/Ali filed an appeal and was released on bond. Most agree he was incarcerated one to three days. As a result of his crime, conviction and incarceration, the NYSAC officially withdrew
recognition of Clay/Ali as Heavyweight Champion and declared the title vacant. The NBA continued to recognize Clay/Ali as champion until he formally announced his retirement on February 1, 1970.
That allowed the winner between NYSAC Heavyweight Titlist Joe Frazier and the newly crowned NBA/WBA inaugural belt holder Jimmy Ellis to be universally recognized as Heavyweight Champion
of the World. [Though Frazier won the February 16, 1970 unification bout, he was not recognized as the World Heavyweight Champion (5th lineal line) until he beat Clay/Ali on March 8, 1971.]
On September 11, 1970, Ali announced via press conference that he would be fighting leading contender Jerry Quarry in Atlanta, Georgia. Georgia did not have a state athletic commission at the time. Ali had
filed a two-pronged appeal of his conviction by to the United States Supreme Court and Federal Court of Appeals. Ali was granted leave for arguing that the NYSAC had made an arbitrary and capricious ruling
by depriving him of a boxing license, as it was contrary to law to deny due process (as his conviction was under appeal). Since the NYSAC did not respond in a timely fashion, Ali was allowed to box.
As a result of Ali’s indictment and incarceration, he was stripped of his NYSAC Heavyweight title (in 1967); vacated his NBA title (in 1970): and eventually lost his World, lineal Heavyweight title to Joe Frazier (in 1971). Though the United States Supreme Court overturned Ali’s conviction on June 28, 1971, he had for all practical purposes been stripped of his title; vacated his title: and been defeated for his title, and was no longer considered champion by any organization in the world.
Under that rational, Boxing Press recognizes Clay/Ali as one of six reigning champions to have lost his title due to incarceration. It is unlikely that Clay/Ali would have lost his titles to any boxer during his prime (in 1964 though 1974). Though he did not fight for the better part of four years, he beat everyone he faced, except for Joe Frazier. Had he not refused military service, he logically would have been afforded the same status as Gene Tunney and Joe Louis, and been considered a champion in recess. Consequently, he would not have been stripped of his title or vacated his title or lost his title to Frazier.
Clay/Ali most likely would have continued to defend his World title and beaten Frazier in 1971 (a point that is further corroborated by the fact that Clay/Ali when active, beat Frazier two out of three times, in 1974 and in 1975, two bouts which were consecutive in the trilogy). That point is best left open for debate by the experts and pundits. What is incontrovertible is that Clay/Ali lost his boxing license due to charges
which led to his incarceration which resulted in the loss of his titles.
Greg Goodrich
Boxing Press Editor in Chief
UFC 76 POST-FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE
Posted on | September 24, 2007 | No Comments
EUROPEAN BOXING NEWS
Posted on | September 23, 2007 | No Comments
September 21, Luebeck, Germany:
Cuban stars Odlanier Solis and Yuriorkis Gamboa again scored easy ko wins in the headliners of Arena Box
Promotion´s big – 14 fights – show at the Hansa Hall.
Solis at heavyweight took some time to find the range against Marcus McGee but knocked him out in the
second. Gamboa, down to feather took out WBC 31 Nestor Hugo Paniagua after 1.05 of the very first round.
Cruiser Herbie Hide and nothing in front of him in Romanian Mircea Telecan and the fight was over at 1.16
of the first with no meaningful punches.
In the nominal mainevent Int´l German middle champ Roman Aramian retained the title with a points win
over favored Alexander Sipos after ten good rounds of boxing.
Jr welter Selcuk Aydin impressed in stopping tough Russian Sergey Starkov in the sixth round.
Alpaslan Aguzum, up to middleweight, stopped Sasha Shnip who didn´t come out for the fifth round. Alpaslan floored his opponent in the first.
Heavies Konstantin Airich and Steffen Kretschmann both scored KO wins. Airich took out Kenyan Raymond Ochieng in the second and Kretschmann did the same to Tolgat Dosanov.
Comebacking heavy Willi Fischer won every round against Latvian Aleksejs Kosobokovs in their eight rounder but couldn´t hurt his stubborn opponent who normally campaigns at cruiser.
News:
Lightheavy Kai Kurzawa is back with Arena and expects to return to the ring during the fall.
Former heavyweight champion of the world, Ingemar Johansson turned 75 September 22. Ingo was diagnosed
with Alzheimer´s already back in 1997 but it wasn´t until 2003 the family made it public. Johansson resides in a nursing home near Gothenburg and media reports indicates that under the circumstances he is doing allright.
Former EBU middle Amin Asikainen continues his comeback October 22 in Helsinki with a scheduled non-title ten-rounder against experienced Frenchman Christophe Karagoz. Asikainen also headlines in Stockholm September 28 in a scheduled four-rounder against Sylvain Touzet.
German-Italian heavy Francesco Pianeta face Australian champ Colin Wilson on the undercard to Valuev vs
Bergeron September 29 in Oldenburg.
Featherweights Robert Osiobe and Nico Schroeder clash for the vacant GBC title in Gladsaxe (on the outskirts
of Copenhagen) October 27. Robert Larsen promotes.
It will be Spanish veteran Rafael Lozano that square off against EBU fly champ Andrea Sarritzu October 12
in Italy. Site is still to be announced.
Unbeatable WIBF fly champ Regina Halmich will have her final fight at home in Karlsruhe November 30.
WOLAK COMING BACK TO BATTLE NOVEMBER 15
Posted on | September 23, 2007 | No Comments
Unbeaten Pawel Wolak coming right back Nov. 15 in NYC
NEW YORK (September 19, 2007) – New IBA America’s middleweight champion Pawel “Raging Bull” Wolak, fresh off of his fourth-round TKO of “Flawless” Dan Wallace (9-2, 3 KOs) last Friday night in Long Island, will come right back November 15th headlining a show promoted by Bob Duffy’s Ring Promotions at Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.
The New York State junior middleweight champion Wolak (17-0, 12 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, is rated No. 11 by both the NABF and NABO. The graduate of Berkley College in Manhattan has become a popular draw, particularly among passionate Polish fight fans, and his non-stop, exciting style attracts more supporters each fight.
“Pawel’s one of the most dedicated guys in this sport,” promoter Bob Duffy said. “Every day he’s training for 2-2 ½ hours at Gleason’s. He wants to improve every day. Pawel’s the best 154-pound prospect on the East Coast. There’s no dog in this kid. He’s 100-percent a fighter whose heart and determination ends up in a winning performance. He has good management and training teams and I’ve really enjoyed working with them as his acting promoter.”
-30-
ESPINO EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO 8 FIGHTS
Posted on | September 23, 2007 | 2 Comments
MIGUEL ESPINO DEFENDS HIS
WBC CABOFE TITLE
EXTENDING HIS WINING STEAK TO 8
Press Release For Immediate Release
WBC CABOFE MIDDEWEIGHT CHAMP
MIGUEL ESPINO
September 21, 2007
WBC CABOFE middleweight champion Miguel Espino defended his title and extended his winning steak to 8 in a row with a dominating performance by way of 5th round TKO over Ray Ortega at the Double Tree Hotel in Bakersfield Ca. Countering the bull dozing style of Ortega, Espino landed accurate punches that battered the body of Ortega dominating the bout with a body attack that the fans will remember for years to come. Ortega who came out guns blazing every round, slowed down as the fight wore on. Espino showing no signs of fatigue dropped Ortega with a temple shot early in the 5th round and continued to expose the open holes that Ortega was leaving open. After barrages of punches were taking its toll on Ortega, referee Marcos Rosales stopped the fight with little time left in the round. Look for Espino to climb up the WBC rankings with the victory. The bout was brought to you by Cota Boxing Promotions is association Sigue Corp.
SEARCH OUR BLOGS
SEARCH THE WEB
Subscribe in a reader
US Money Reserve
Bodybuilding fitness software: Gain weight & build muscle fast.
Photographers - Boston, MA
PRO-SEBLOG.COM: EMPOWERING ORDINARY PEOPLE TO PRACTICE LAW ON THEIR OWN BEHALF
CLICK HERE TO ORDER AN AWESOME SELF-HELP LEGAL COURSE
MARKETINGBOSS.INFO: MARKETING TIPS FOR YOUR SITE & BUSINESS
Boxing Live
RING GIRLS
OUR SPONSORS
