Boxing Perspective: The Ring Of Fire – Jermain Taylor vs. Kassim Ouma

By Simon Jackson

Kassim Ouma walks into the Arkansas equivalent of Johnny Cash’s hit song ‘The Burning Ring of Fire’ when he attempts to beat Jermain Taylor, the undisputed world middle-weight champion at Arkansas’s Alltel Arena on Saturday night.

Level headed Taylor 25-0-1 (17) has all the omens on his side as he prepares to meet 27 year old Ouma 25-2-1 (15) on his home territory.

“Kassim is coming to fight and wants my title,” said Taylor, 28, in a pre-match conference call this week. “I’m fighting at home and he is a great fighter; I’m not looking past this man, I’m taking him very serious because I know he comes to win, but I want to do my thing and look good doing it.”

Taylor, an extremely proud Arkansas resident, shares his birth state with deceased country singer Johnny Cash and Bill Clinton, the 42nd US President, a man he greatly admires and was delighted to meet in August 2005.

“It was amazing [meeting Clinton]” said Taylor. “I always wanted to meet him; it was an honour.”

Taylor is reported to have presented the former U.S. President with a replica of the robe he wore before entering the ring for the first of his two celebrated victories over Bernard Hopkins, the then world middleweight champion, who he dethroned at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand on July 16 2005.

Taylor took a huge step up in class that evening when he wrested the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO middleweight championship belts from the formidable Hopkins in a hard fought split decision.

The much awaited rematch again took place in Las Vegas, this time at the Mandalay Bay Resort on December 3 and this time Taylor, the country boy with the family values proved the first meeting was no fluke when he again prevailed; this time by a unanimous points decision.

The unsuitably nicknamed Jermain ‘Bad Intentions’ Taylor stepped up yet again on June 17 when he held the awesome Winky Wright to a draw.

Taylor began training at Emanuel Stewart’s Kronk gym shortly before the Wright bout and Stewart, who took time out to participate in the conference call, commented on Taylor’s last three outstanding performances.

“I have never seen a fighter go through such a winning stretch,” said the revered trainer. “Bernard and Winky are extremely crafty fighters and would be a problem for anyone in the middle weight history.”

Reportedly a rematch with Winky Wright fell through due to the opponent’s camp foregoing a guaranteed £5m payday by demanding a 50/50 split to meet the now undisputed world champion.

Taylor’s next bout may now be against the undefeated Sergio Mora although the options for family man Taylor – who in August 2003 married Erica Smith, the celebrated WNBA basketball player – are mouth watering.

“I don’t know what’s next, I want big fights, I just want to fight the best. Right now my focus is on Kassim Ouma,” said Taylor. “I can stay at 160 lb for as long as I want, I’m having no problem with the weight. But if there is a big fight at 168 lb we will look at plans from there.”

Asked if this raised the possibility of a meeting with the outstanding and still undefeated Joe Calzaghe, Taylor replied: “I mentioned earlier that I want the best fights and I do want the best. Joe Calzaghe is a big fight for me and if we both keep winning I’m sure that fight is going to take place.”

Lou Di Bella, Taylor’s promoter, confirmed his charge’s comments. He said: “Joe Calzaghe announced a few days ago that he is fighting Peter Manfredo Jr in March so obviously this fight can happen. Jermain is afraid of nobody.”

Taylor’s toughness and affability came following his father’s abandonment of him, his mother and three younger sisters when he was only five years old.

“I think about the abandonment all the time,” said Taylor. “Why did I have to grow up so fast like that? I’m going to try to be better than that.”

Clearly his harsh upbringing has made him the man he is now. But maybe the ending is best left to fellow Arkansas resident Johnny Cash, who in his hit song “A boy named Sue” told a tale of a father who named his son “Sue” before abandoning him. Many years later the pair met…

And he said: “Son, this world is rough
And if a man’s gonna make it, he’s gotta be tough
And I knew I wouldn’t be there to help ya along.
So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
I knew you’d have to get tough or die
And it’s the name that helped to make you strong.”

He said: “Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn’t blame you if you do.
But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
Cause I’m the son-of-a-***** that named you [Sue].

I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
And I called him my pa, and he called me his son,
And I came away with a different point of view.
And I think about him, now and then,
Every time I try and every time I win.”

Courtesy www.frankmaloney.com