BoxingScene Staff Predictions - Jermain Taylor vs. Bernard Hopkins

[Shaolin Bushido]

Hopkins will dominate, he is too smart to make the same mistake twice. Taylor's career is going to fall faster than the XFL tonight.

How can you say that? His decision making is the culprit for his last strategic faux pas.

Now you're pointing to his intelligence to pull this one out?


O-kayyy ... whatever.

[Manny_P]

Taylor will win and Ima laugh at ya'll AGAIN!!!!

[Shaolin Bushido]

Taylor will win and Ima laugh at ya'll AGAIN!!!!

so.

[{BrownBomber}]

The funny thing in that article was the writers predicting a Hopkins win usually gave a sufficient explanation of why they thought he was going to win. Taylor predictions were basically, "Taylor is younger, stronger and faster, so he'll win."

Meh...I like Borges on this one.

I see a green pasture ready to get obso****inglutety **** on.

[Truth]

How can you say that? His decision making is the culprit for his last strategic faux pas.

Now you're pointing to his intelligence to pull this one out?


O-kayyy ... whatever.

Hey maybe I will be wrong...

[Truth]

I probably exagerated a little with the XFL remark. LOL

[kmac]

Jermaine Taylor wins by KO

Young always beats old.
and Hopkins is even older than he was before.

[RoundByRound]

I just don't know

I really like fights like this though. Taylor is green, a fan can't really pinpoint his mentality. Everybody knows Hopkins has what it takes, he is great, and savvy. With Taylor we get the chance to see a new tale unfold. Did he watch the tapes and come up with a superior stratagy to defeat Hopkins? Did he spend all of his time in the gym so that he won't be as weak in the final rounds this time around? (also I think he was very nervous in the last fight and that added to his level of fatigue a bit. I'd like to think he will be cooler this time around, but I know I wouldn't be in his shoes) Will Taylors youth prevail?

I hope that last question isn't the case. I would hate to see a champion such as Hopkins be defeated simply because he is aging. What I'm truly hoping for is that this is the chance for Taylor to show us that he has some substance, some grit so to speak and that he really is worthy of taking the spot. If Hopkins wins it will be a good fight, but if Taylor shows us something that we didn't know he had, but just hoped he had, it will be a GREAT fight.

The boxing world is plagued with a lack of sufficient challenges right now. Few of the great fighters out there are allowed a chance to really prove themselves. While Hopkins age is a factor, it's a far cry from a fight like say, Roy vs. Tarver where one fighters age has cost him everything. Hopkins is a dog of war and is still incredibly dangerous to face. He might not be as dangerous as he was, but you can't take anything away from the man. If Taylor steps up tonight, showing that he can adapt, putting forth even more effort than last time, and gives 110% he will have earned all the credit he needs in my book and I'll be glad to call him a champion.

That being said, I just can't decide. So I say if Taylor has guts and brains, he will win by a split decision. (the victory will be much clearer than last time.) If Taylor didn't do his homework and relies on the same thing that he got his last victory with, one things for sure, Hopkins won't. TKO in 9 Hopkins.

[cold]

Hopkins Wins by KO rnd 4

[DiegoFuego]

Taylor by easy UD after a few viciously rough first rounds in which Hopkins will deserve to be DQed