Al Haymon could be next to split with Jermain Taylor
by Scott Christ on Dec 12, 2009 12:59 AM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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As reported earlier, promoter Lou DiBella has decided to no longer work with Jermain Taylor, as he fears for the former middleweight champion's health should he continue boxing, which is exactly what Taylor plans to do. He has an April fight with Andre Ward lined up in the second stage of the Super Six World Boxing Classic.
Now, Sports Illustrated is saying that Taylor's advisor Al Haymon is headed to Arkansas to talk to Taylor, and it's not good news for Jermain, either.
Taylor's advisor, Al Haymon, is reportedly on his way to Taylor's home in Arkansas to try and talk Taylor into retirement. If Haymon is unsuccessful, he could also resign from Taylor's camp.
Lou DiBella and Al Haymon have been around boxing a long time. They have worked with countless fighters, represented them, encouraged them, made money off of them, lived the good life in large part because of them. They're veteran boxing guys. And they know Jermain Taylor's situation. It appears both of them are so concerned for his well-being that they will wash their hands of his career, reluctantly, so that they have no part in him continuing on.
I said before that DiBella stepping away gave me more pause than I had before. Taylor's health must be a genuine risk for DiBella and Haymon (possibly) to go to these measures. With that seeming to be the case, yeah, Jermain should probably retire. I know he's only 31 and the guys that have beaten him are top class, but promoters and advisors saying, "Hey, Jermain, you should retire" leads me to think there's a lot more to it than just the media or fan freakout, which generally amounts to, "He's been knocked out a few times! He should retire immediately!"
Lots of guys get knocked out, and get knocked out a lot more than Taylor has, and they live fine lives. But Taylor just might not have taken the punishment "well," if you know what I mean. The report after his KO loss to Arthur Abraham in October is a severe concussion with short-term memory loss. Should that guy keep fighting? Frankly, probably not.
It pains me to say it, but the more this plays out, the more I think Jermain should hang up the gloves. He's a good, likable guy, a family man, and nobody wants to see him get hurt out there. And to be brutally honest, he's almost surely never going to reach the heights he was at a few years ago. I feel genuine sadness saying that I think Taylor should walk away from his profession at the age of 31, but it looks more and more like it's the only good option.
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I actually don’t think Taylor is as shot as everybody thinks he is. Him beating Ward would not be a big shock to me
DiBella and Haymon know about the medical stuff is what concerns me; they’re saying, “No, don’t fight anymore.”
Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport
by Scott Christ on Dec 12, 2009 5:01 AM EST up reply actions
There are rumors that he still doesn't remember the Abraham fight
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Well then he shouldn’t be fighting… if that is the case… I don’t want him to go the Medrick Taylor route.
You know your prime can be zapped away with one knockout… and he has had several…
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
Surely if that were the case
He wouldn’t be cleared to fight by a halfway credible commision, sanctioning body or doctor?
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Dec 12, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions
Since that fight will be in California, who knows? I don’t consider their commission halfway credible anymore.
Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport
by Scott Christ on Dec 12, 2009 6:31 PM EST up reply actions
I think Taylor would make a really good trainer.
Someone who is experienced, knowledgable, articulate and personable… hell, why not?
Thoughts?
Boxing is the beginning of all sports. I'm willing to bet that the first sport was a man against another man in a fight. (Omar Epps)
I’ve thought the same thing, actually. No one particular reason, just seems like something he might be fit for.
Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport
by Scott Christ on Dec 12, 2009 9:06 AM EST up reply actions
He doesn't seem to like the sport
And he’s never watched a minute of film in his life. I remember his lack of passion for boxing really struck me during one of the Countdown shows. He seems to “want it” a bit more now, but he’s made good money, no reason to toil away in a gym unless that’s what he really WANTS to do, and I doubt it is.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
that's true
The fact that he’s never lifted weights until the Abraham fight is another thing that raised eyebrows.
Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport
by Scott Christ on Dec 12, 2009 2:29 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think so.
He’s a guy that don’t listen to his trainers and can’t seem to make the necessary mid-fight adjustments. I can’t see him being a good trainer.
Every fighter has a game plan until he get's punched in the mouth.
-Mike
Not only doesn’t listen, but purposely has gotten trainers that get up his ass less and less. He fired Pat Burns for seemingly no reason for Manny Steward, then got rid of Steward for Ozell Nelson, who’s more his buddy than anything.
Bad Left Hook
"If bulls**t was poetry, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini's name would be Shakespeare." -- Dennis Rappaport
by Scott Christ on Dec 12, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions
Its hard to say (having 'reply' issues)
Seeing him in interviews and pre the Abraham fight, I don’t know if he could light a fire inside someone. But he does seem a really nice guy, and he will have to work again sometime in the future, so why not…
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)
agree with the sentiments in the article
Its pretty sad, because I thought he still had it and could do a number on AA. Hopefully Haymon can persuade him not to fight on and provide him with options for making money in the future (if not as a trainer)
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘’Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'’ (Bernard Hopkins)
A fighter is going to do
what he wants in the end, but I’m glad to see that Taylor has people around him who seem to care about his health.
sad
I became a fan of Taylor when HBO started shoving him down our throats way back when. He always seemed to be a really good guy, had a cool nickname, plenty of talent, etc. Unfortunately, it also became apparant that he didn’t have his heart in it – especially when he started working with Steward who was clearly frustrated with Taylor in the corner during his fights. I hope JT does what’s best for his health even though I was hoping he’d be able to play out the string and finish his part in the tourney.
-Brian
I thought JT put in a solid performance against AA right up until the dying seconds.
He showed maturity and fought hard all the way in a competitive fight. But that was a bad KO and it’s understandable that anyone with a heart would want him to give it a rest. Conversely, if he can clear an MRI, get the doctor’s thumbs up and look sharp in sparring then it’s his call. He seems a classy guy and either way, good luck to him.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
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