I'm not quite sure what you're basing the claim that Taylor's hands are quicker on. From what I've seen, Kessler's punches are shorter/straighter and quick enough in their own right...and I think he leaves his hand in better punching position than Taylor to counter. With footspeed, again, I don't really see where they're equal. Taylor fights more flat-footed. He doesn't use much footspeed. Kessler is lighter on his feet, he moves better to my eyes, though he also fights flat footed at times. Taylor looks good, physically at the weight, and he does have a sturdy punch...but he's not a puncher. I'm not really sure Kessler is, either, at the elite level. I think he can punch hard, but he doesn't always do it. He seems to take something off his punches early in fights, and then steps it up...but I think he's the kind of fighter that will settle into a distance fight if he doesn't think a knockout will come.
Your right that Taylor has been using his jab in his last two fights, but ANYBODY can look like Larry Holmes against Lacy. And lets not forget, even though JT did pretty well in the Pav rematch, he still lost the jabbing battle to Kelly. Kessler's jab is much quicker, and just as stiff as Pavlik's. I suspect if Kelly can outjab Taylor, as can Kessler. Sure Taylor hurt Pavlik the first time, but he'll have more trouble landing that kinda punch on Kessler. Mikkel has a good defense, even Mundine had trouble landing on him, and Mundine if nothing else is faster than Taylor. I value your opinion, but I just cant see Taylor winning this fight. I dont even think he'll last the distance. He'll go down fighting as always, but once Kessler finds the range on him, he'll hit JT at will, and eventually force a stoppage.
What are you pair of Tom's on about?... Ostracising Jermaine Taylor as usual,...? ... all great fighters go through rough patches,.. don't let Bernard Hopkins bitter pissy snipe in Oscar De La Hoya's editted ring magazine influence you... Jermaine IS great, he IS Hopkins father, and he's only just begun.
The records may say he's the father, but there's been no paternity suit to make certain of it. There remain doubts about the claim.
:nono: Uh, uh uh uh uh!,.. The only suit was in the rematch, ie- retesting to verify that Taylor is actually the father and the results came back positive again,.. there can be no argument for the initial fight however,.. Jermaine fought like smoooothe dark chocolate...:hammert:
I agree, after the first fight where Taylor faded due to a lil inexperience, the populous cried, "Hops will knock him out in the rematch!!!".. and he did.
No no,..I agreed, that my post was an example of how we were all wrong, even I was wrong in that post, I said Hopkins knocked him out, when really, he did no such thing but lose to a man with prettier eyes and a longer penis.