A Tear for a Boxer.

Boxing has to be one of the best sports in the world. You have a union consisting of a boxer, trainer and the concentration on building the best boxer one can possibly be. It is a sport of mental willpower and intense physical preparation. Yet, you do have a dark side to boxing, a side that happens and it can leave the fan to admire a boxer for his sense of appreciation for being a warrior. The average boxer dedicates his life into this sport that we love with high aspirations of becoming a respected and loyal world champion. Meldrick Taylor is a warrior who shares the bright side of boxing and the dark side of boxing. If you think Floyd Mayweather’s hand-speed is one to marvel, you need to treat yourself to some of Meldrick Taylor’s early fights and then you will truly have the pleasure of viewing and comparing these two tremendous boxer’s hand speed. The Philadelphian’s tough, hard as nails boxing mentality that Bernard Hopkins displays so well is a twin soul that Taylor shares.

Taylor’s intentions on becoming a world champion started at the age of eight. He would learn the craft and earn his first national title at the age of fifteen. Eventually, talent brings attention and this was the case, when Taylor entered the classical 1984 Olympic team, with Evander Holyfield and another hand-speed technician, Pernell Whitaker. At the age of seventeen, Taylor earned an Olympic gold in the featherweight division. The world of boxing, filled with large financial rewards, world recognition and the responsibility of being a respected fighter were all waiting for Taylor.

A successful boxing career evolved, as Taylor went 12-0 with seven knockouts, before hammering out a draw with Howard Davis Jr. Learning from that draw, Taylor applied self-confidence and hunger, pushing on a seven fight winning streak, which in turn led to a fight with durable world champion, Buddy McGirt. This was what Taylor envisioned since his amateur days and all of his hard work would pay off, as he brought deep concentration to McGirt, and at the end of the fight, a champion he would be. Taylor proved that hand-speed and pure boxing skills wear down your opponent. He displayed a clinic of boxing, as he walked away with the IBF junior welterweight title.

The boxing world was at Taylor’s feet and some people had him at the top of their pound- for-pound list. The reason why I say some, is the mere fact that another intense and skillful boxer was all ready established in the junior welterweight division. A body attacker and keen observer in the ring, Julio Cesar Chavez was walking around with an astounding 69-0 record at the time of meeting Taylor, in a showdown for the best in the sport of boxing, along with the WBC and IBF junior welterweight belts on the line. This is the fight, some consider the fight of the decade; it surely eclipsed any other fights in 1990.

The day was March 17, 1990, and if anyone had a chance to place a defeat on Chavez’ record, it would surely be the advertent Taylor. In comparison Taylor 24-0, had a minor record in light of Chavez workload of a record. Aside from that, the match-up was even. Both were close in height and reach and the winner had the promise of acquiring the label of the best pound-for-pound fighter. Taylor presented in this fight his Olympic training, Philadelphian mind-frame, and professional boxing talent, and was clearly out boxing the game Chavez. You could witness the well-executed boxing plan, Taylor was openly out landing Chavez, yet the most powerful punches were coming from Chavez. The scoring was easily in Taylor’s favor, but the pain was mounting on Taylor.

Experience and pure desperation were traits Chavez showed in the memorable twelfth round. He delivered a short right to Taylor with fifteen seconds left and the punch had enough power to push Taylor to the mat and with that boxer’s will, he regained his composure. The climax of the fight was right there, with two seconds left, all Taylor had to do was hold on to Chavez, or back away, but the referee of the fight, Richard Steele called the bout to a halt, giving Chavez a miracle and a technical knockout win.

This fight was even more influential on Taylor, as he left his soul in the ring. Taylor took a beating, physically and subjectively, even though he gave one back to Chavez, the man that really lost out was Taylor, not only in the realm of a debatable fight stoppage, but this classical fight occluded Taylor’s fighting urge. Taylor would go on and win some titles and fights, but they were nothing in the sense of adding to his legacy. He would gather a rematch with Chavez in 1994, a match that proved Taylor was surely a sad case, as he lost that fight by technical knockout eighth round.

If you had the chance to hear Taylor speak today, you would clearly hear the broken speech pattern and slowness in response. At one point in time, people were still trying to prevent him from entering the ring, as Taylor, and that old champion’s heart, still had hope in landing a huge comeback and showing the world that he is still a champion. You see the thing is, Taylor doesn’t need to prove anything to anybody, he will always be remembered as a fighter who gave it his all and with that being said, the respect for his efforts and flashy hand-speed is only half of the fascination you can grant to Meldrick Taylor and with that, he will never be a loser.

Shaun Rico LaWhorn can be reached at filmmaking_mentality@msn.com