Taylor Needs to Step Up

by user KMcRae

When Jermain Taylor steps through the ropes this Saturday night to defend his WBC and WBO middleweight titles against Cory Spinks he will enter the ring off a stretch in which he faced three hall of famers and one of the most determined fighters in the sport.  In those fights Taylor went an impressive 3-0-1 even though many observers dispute his victories over Bernard Hopkins and his draw with Winky Wright.  Even so you'd be hard pressed to find many observers who would criticize Taylor's recent stretch of opponents. 

Cory Spinks is a former undisputed welterweight champion and in July of last year surprised many by outboxing the tough and dangerous Roman Karmazin to win a share of the Jr. Middleweight crown.  He is a slick boxer, a tremendously difficult target to hit and comes from one of the more famous bloodlines the sport has ever known.  All that said he is simply the wrong opponent for Jermain Taylor at this time.

This will be the second straight fight that Jermain Taylor has reached outside of his own weight class for an opponent.  Kassim Ouma is a tremendous action fighter and showed in the Taylor fight that he has a heart, and chin for that matter, of steel.  But he wasn't a middleweight and never had the type of power necessary to keep a fighter like Taylor honest. 

Cory Spinks is a tremendous welterweight.  The best years of his career were spent at 147 where he unified the division by defeating the wildman Ricardo Mayorga in 2003.  But he isn't and never will be big enough to compete at 160 pounds.  He simply doesn't have the firepower to keep a freight train like Jermain Taylor off of him for the full twelve rounds.  Defense will simply not be enough.  Eventually you need to find something to hit the other guy and for all Cory Spinks defensive prowess and slickness in the ring he won't be able to do it.  Jermain Taylor is physically bigger, stronger and will eventually break through the guard with his power shots.  Spinks isn't Bernard Hopkins or Winky Wright who were physically strong enough to absorb a lot of those blows on their arms and elbows.  He isn't strong enough to land punches that will give Jermain pause and keep him honest.  Simply put Cory Spinks is too small and will eventually get broken down and stopped. 

The main problem with Cory Spinks selection as the opponent can be found in the main support bout for this card.  Both Edison Miranda and Kelly Pavlik, who will meet on the undercard, are lethal power punchers who are just entering the primes of their careers.  They are natural middleweights and could well be the future of the division whether Jermain Taylor chooses to move up in weight or not.  Both guys are more deserving of a shot at the title than a fighter who has never fought at this weight.  Spinks smacks of an opponent who was chosen for his name and not for his chances of making a good fight.  While the winner of the Miranda-Pavlik fight becomes the mandatory challenger for Taylor's WBC title they shouldn't have to wait that long.  Certainly not in favor of Cory Spinks.

Just to clear up any lingering doubts I'm going with Taylor by stoppage in the middle rounds.  He's simply too big and will eventually break down the smaller defensive wizard.  I'm also taking Kelly Pavlik to win a fight in which both guys may taste the canvas a few times.  Pavlik is simply the more complete fighter and should be able to hang on for a decision.