Over Excitement…Jermain Taylor wins via technical…

Just keeping apost to current boxing events and headliners and came acrossed Jermain Taylors win

This snippet is from the Associated Press (AP):

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Fighting at home for the first time since becoming middleweight champion, Jermain Taylor was a little too excited.

“I came out trying for the knockout and threw a lot of wild punches,” Taylor said. “That is something you’re not supposed to do in boxing.”

I have always thought that the “come out swinging” approach is always the best.. If you don’t knock out the opponent you still get the technical win from the many contacts. Besides your opponent doesn’t stand a chance to get many contacts in if you are blindly flailing you arms around. It sort of makes it hard to know when and where to strike.

Taylor eventually settled for a unanimous decision over Kassim Ouma on Saturday night, a fitting ending to a homecoming that was successful but far from perfect. Ticket sales had been a concern all week, and Taylor was bothered for much of the fight by a cut over his left eye.

But Taylor (26-0-1) landed most of the big punches, and toward the end, Ouma’s only chance was an unlikely knockout. Taylor, a Little Rock native, won the first six rounds on all three judges’ cards and the first nine on two cards. There was little suspense at the end — open scoring was used at the fight and showed Taylor with a big lead after eight rounds.

So Taylor may not have got his TKO but he didn’t give Ouma a chance. Good times as far as I am concerned. Still the victor regardless of how he won Jermain Taylor blattently battered Ouma all over the ring for 8 rounds.

Taylor became the middleweight champion in July 2005 by beating Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas, then outpointed Hopkins there again that December. Taylor escaped with a draw against Winky Wright in July in Memphis, Tenn.

After three straight decisions, Taylor was eager for a change.

“I came out tonight and wanted a knockout really bad,” Taylor said. “I am in great shape, but I had to take out a loan in those last two rounds.”

Ouma, a native of Uganda, had been all smiles during the week. He seemed to relish the chance to fight the bigger Taylor on the champion’s turf — he even raised his arms triumphantly after some of the later rounds despite being way behind on points.

Ouma’s fascinating story includes being kidnapped by the National Resistance Army in Uganda when he was a boy and being forced to fight in the civil war. His promoter sarcastically referred to him as “Little Kassim Ouma” this week — but the former junior middleweight champion hung in there against Taylor.

A cut near Taylor’s left eye appeared around the fifth round, and he seemed bothered by it at times, occasionally lifting a hand to the eye.

“That comes along with the job,” Taylor said. “I will never let it get to me. It did affect my vision but I am a soldier, baby.”

Taylor came to the news conference after the fight wearing sunglasses, presumably to hide his eye injury.

“He didn’t get the knockout,” Ouma said. “I am still here. Look at me, then look at him.”

The cut, however, was apparently caused by an accidental head butt — not anything Ouma did with his fists. Ouma threw 701 punches to Taylor’s 597, but Taylor had a clear edge in punches landed, 244-177.

“He came out and fought all 12 rounds,” Taylor said. “He’s a little guy but he’s a tough guy.”

Attendance for the rare title fight in Arkansas was 10,119 thanks to a good walk-up turnout. Organizers did little to hide their attendance worries this week, but the crowd broke the 10,000 mark and was intense once Taylor made his way to the ring.

Fans serenaded the 28-year-old Taylor with rousing chants of “JT! JT!” throughout the fight — and also added a few of Arkansas’ famed “Pig Sooie” cheers. Taylor started well, knocking the 27-year-old Ouma (25-3-1) off-balance with a right uppercut in the first round, but Ouma lived up to his reputation as an aggressive fighter. He ran right at Taylor several times, although Taylor seldom stayed on the ropes for long.

The judges scored the fight 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113 for Taylor.

“I don’t think a rematch is in order right now,” said Lou DiBella, Taylor’s promoter.

Taylor weighed in at 159 1/2 on Friday, and Ouma was at 158 3/4 — although that did little justice to the challenger’s size disadvantage. Taylor is expected to move up from the 160-pound class to the 168-pound (super middleweight) division at some point.

“I can fight at 160 — I made it easy. But I will fight wherever the money is,” Taylor said. “I will fight up, whomever wants to fight.”

It’s all about the money…what about the glory? I feel that money is always getting in the way. I may not be old enough to remember when major league players played ball for the game but I do remember watching triple AAA as a child and it was always the best. Regaurdless of the sport… Play it for the sport and not for the alimony.

Latter,

Nick

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