The downfall of Jermain Taylor?

[Fox McCloud]

I don't know what it was, but when he stepped up to the elite level, he stopped looking good. He looked terrible against Hopkins twice. He looked terrible against Wright. He didn't look good against Ouma, and he didn't look good against Spinks. He finally ends up looking halfway decent against Pavlik both times, and loses twice.

Why do you think it is that Taylor didn't turn out to be as good as he looked on the way up? Usually fighters do not look as good against the elites as they did against the journeymen, but they usually look better than Taylor did.

Do you think Hopkins crushed his confidence? Do you think that he has a mental problem with confidence in general against someone who can do well against him in spots? Do you just think that he really isn't that good to begin with?

What do you all think is the cause of Taylor's career not taking off like it was projected to?

[aRmAgeDDoN]

he lets other guys dictate the pace
he backs into corners (which he didnt do last fight)
he isnt there in late rounds
he eats jabs

[Vladimir303]

I don't know what it was, but when he stepped up to the elite level, he stopped looking good. He looked terrible against Hopkins twice. He looked terrible against Wright. He didn't look good against Ouma, and he didn't look good against Spinks. He finally ends up looking halfway decent against Pavlik both times, and loses twice.

Why do you think it is that Taylor didn't turn out to be as good as he looked on the way up? Usually fighters do not look as good against the elites as they did against the journeymen, but they usually look better than Taylor did.

Do you think Hopkins crushed his confidence? Do you think that he has a mental problem with confidence in general against someone who can do well against him in spots? Do you just think that he really isn't that good to begin with?

What do you all think is the cause of Taylor's career not taking off like it was projected to?

You should have a entered another choice like "Manny Steward didn't help him improve but actually made him worse".

Some fighters just don't need great trainers helping them "improve".

Taylor and his former trainer Pat Burns had way better chemistry.

[Fox McCloud]

You should have a entered another choice like "Manny Steward didn't help him improve but actually made him worse".

Some fighters just don't need great trainers helping them "improve".

Taylor and his former trainer Pat Burns had way better chemistry.

I think that would fall into the category of a mental problem with confidence. If you are too tentative to take the advice of Emanuel Steward that means you are too set in your ways or scared to try something new. ****in' A, if I had someone like Emanuel Steward telling me what to do, I'd do it, even if I was unsure. However great your mind is in boxing, it is probably inferior to Emanuel Steward.

[The Hammer]

I think Manny Steward was the wrong trainer for him.

IMO there is nothing seriously wrong with Taylor, and he's a world-class fighter. Spinks was a bad match-up for him, and no one can look good against Hopkins. My prediction is that Jermain will win a title at super middleweight within a year or so.

[ExecutiveOutlaw]

problem is he never really had a passion for boxing in the first place

he was motivated for dethroning hopkins, but like he said after that he had no more motivation.

that fire was back for the pavlik rematch, many thought he won, so I wouldnt say there was a downfall yet

[Vladimir303]

I think that would fall into the category of a mental problem with confidence. If you are too tentative to take the advice of Emanuel Steward that means you are too set in your ways or scared to try something new. ****in' A, if I had someone like Emanuel Steward telling me what to do, I'd do it, even if I was unsure. However great your mind is in boxing, it is probably inferior to Emanuel Steward.

That's why Pat Burns was better for Taylor then Steward. Pat Burns understood Taylor's mental state of mind and said to him the right things at the right time. His jab was great under Pat Burns. Steward ruined that jab by trying to add on and make too multi-dimensional forgetting that it was 2006/07 not the 1980's with The Hitman Hearns.

He expected way too much out of Taylor and Jermain didn't deliver. I don't know who made the decision to drop Pat Burns, Lou Dibella or Ozell Nelson....it's one of the two's fault for his downfall.

[Fox McCloud]

That's why Pat Burns was better for Taylor then Steward. Pat Burns understood Taylor's mental state of mind and said to him the right things at the right time. His jab was great under Pat Burns. Steward ruined that jab by trying to add on and make too multi-dimensional forgetting that it was 2006/07 not the 1980's with The Hitman Hearns.

He expected way too much out of Taylor and Jermain didn't deliver. I don't know who made the decision to drop Pat Burns, Lou Dibella or Ozell Nelson....it's one of the two's fault for his downfall.

It definately was one of those two.

He did seem to have great chemistry with Pat Burns. They should have at least kept him as a second assistant or something if they were going to hire Steward.

[KingTito]

I still think Taylor can make more out of his career. I don't think he's done yet.

[MikeBrew328]

I think that would fall into the category of a mental problem with confidence. If you are too tentative to take the advice of Emanuel Steward that means you are too set in your ways or scared to try something new. ****in' A, if I had someone like Emanuel Steward telling me what to do, I'd do it, even if I was unsure. However great your mind is in boxing, it is probably inferior to Emanuel Steward.

There was a quote in Million Dollar Baby that went something like, "every fighter has one thing that they're stubborn about, and they won't change it no matter what anybody says. And if they do, they were never fighters at all". I think Manny ruined him.