Jones wants Taylor, but Hopkins says that's a mistake

[jaz_pagan]

Jones calls out Taylor, but Hopkins says Taylor should go a different route...

"I don't think Lou DiBella will take that fight. I don't think Jermain Taylor can beat Roy Jones Jr.; I really don't think so...I'd like to see him and Tito fight; Tito supposed to be fighting Pavlik allegedly in June. Going in to fight Roy Jones would be good for boxing fans, but coming off that Pavlik fight, I think Jermain needs to fight B-level fighters, unless he wants to show his Arturo Gatti type heart."

Jones and Hopkins break down the performances of Taylor and Pavlik.

Hopkins compares Taylor to David Reed.

Jones says if he can't fight Taylor, he'll probably fight Elvir Muriqi.

Here's the full story....

While Jones wants Taylor, Hopkins says that would be a mistake

[El Kabong]

Roy should try to fight some better guys than Elvir Muriqi!


Jermain doesn't need to fight Roy at 168 he needs to fight guys like Manfredo and Lacy in order to get back to his top form, he's still relatively young and can hold titles.

Hopkins doesn't want Roy to fight Taylor because Hopkins wants Roy after Calzaghe! I think Roy would be best suited to fight a guy like Manfredo or Lacy if he's going to fight at 168 and take on the winner of Calzaghe-Hopkins....he has to fight someone that is a decent fighter but that poses no true threat to him....unless he wants to risk it and he could take on a brawler like Edison Miranda or a guy who is a scaredy cat puncher like Allen Green.

[BigLuke]

Roy should try to fight some better guys than Elvir Muriqi!


Jermain doesn't need to fight Roy at 168 he needs to fight guys like Manfredo and Lacy in order to get back to his top form, he's still relatively young and can hold titles.

Hopkins doesn't want Roy to fight Taylor because Hopkins wants Roy after Calzaghe! I think Roy would be best suited to fight a guy like Manfredo or Lacy if he's going to fight at 168 and take on the winner of Calzaghe-Hopkins....he has to fight someone that is a decent fighter but that poses no true threat to him....unless he wants to risk it and he could take on a brawler like Edison Miranda or a guy who is a scaredy cat puncher like Allen Green.

I think Jermain wins the fight against Jones handily. Your right about why hopkins doesnt want jermain to fight roy.

[Barlick]

I hope Taylor focuses on the Kesslers and Butes of this world. He's still got plenty to offer before he accepts the key to the senior management washroom.

[DaxxKahn]

Roy should try to fight some better guys than Elvir Muriqi!


Jermain doesn't need to fight Roy at 168 he needs to fight guys like Manfredo and Lacy in order to get back to his top form, he's still relatively young and can hold titles.

Hopkins doesn't want Roy to fight Taylor because Hopkins wants Roy after Calzaghe! I think Roy would be best suited to fight a guy like Manfredo or Lacy if he's going to fight at 168 and take on the winner of Calzaghe-Hopkins....he has to fight someone that is a decent fighter but that poses no true threat to him....unless he wants to risk it and he could take on a brawler like Edison Miranda or a guy who is a scaredy cat puncher like Allen Green.

Actually Green would be a good Opponent for Jones...Strong..good fighter but no too good, a little threat posed by Green's power,,best of all Jones still has enought in him to be able and POP Green in the jaw without retrobution everytime Green looks to see if his shoes are tied

[Pugilistic]

yep hopkins wants jones all to himself lol, taylor i feel should fight bute, kessler, etc next as his confidence is still there.taylor can still be a champion. A miranda matchup would be great

[Mikkel_K]

I hope Taylor focuses on the Kesslers and Butes of this world. He's still got plenty to offer before he accepts the key to the senior management washroom.

According to the Danish press they are close to sealing a deal on Taylor-Kessler. October is mentioned as the likely date. Unsurprisingly HBO seems to have a great say in this...

Also mentioned is that Kessler is likely to fight on HBO sometime this spring. No opponent mentioned though - apparently Winky was offered tge fight, but declined.

Thought this might be of interest to people here, even if promoter Palle's comments to the Danish press should always be approached with a great deal of caution.

[Bomp]

Bernard doesn't pull any punches in that talk, still seems to be bitter about Taylor, and a little delusional about how the fights went, he landed a few good rights late on, but I'd hardly call the fights Gatti like brutal. And the Elmer Fudd comment

[El Kabong]

Bernard is playing his cards correctly making everyone angry so he has options and WILLING fighters to fight him even if he doesn't beat Calzaghe.


I am no fan of shit talking the way Bernard did it right there...if you're going to talk shit at least have the cojones to actually fight these guys....or in Jermain's case, the talent to beat them

[Trainer Monkey]

Whats in it for Taylor?
He beats Jones,so what? He beat up a tired old man at the end of his rope.
What a triumph
If Jones pulls one out of his you know what,Taylor has more or less trashed his career

[El Kabong]

Very true, Jermain should focus on the youth of the division and let Jones fight on the senior tour with Hopkins

JT needs a tune up fight vs name contenders or good journeymen...Jeff Lacy and Peter Manfredo would be warm welcomes to the 168 division for JT. And then he should be ready to take on the Bute's and Kessler's of the division.

RJJ should fight guys like Allen Green or maybe Sakio Bika, that would be a good hard fight for him and test him

[Taeth]

I think Jermain wins the fight against Jones handily. Your right about why hopkins doesnt want jermain to fight roy.

I am not so sure about that, especially if Roy can back Taylor up... Taylor definitely looked good against Pavlik this last fight, and I felt if he had thrown more he could have won, but like Calzaghe did to Kessler, Pavlik didn't allow for that. However, Taylor has really good handspeed and pretty good reflexes, but he has horrible technical skills, and I think Roy who is busier than Hopkins would do better against Taylor.

[Deanrw]

Hopkins cracks me up. What he says about Kelly is true though, enjoy him while he is here as he will not have an extended career.

Bernard saying that Kelly sounds like Elmer Fudd already due to being punchy is BS though. It's like Bernard, he gets his nose broken like every single fight he is in, of course he will sound funny after the fight!LOL

[Wayne]

Roy should try to fight some better guys than Elvir Muriqi!


Jermain doesn't need to fight Roy at 168 he needs to fight guys like Manfredo and Lacy in order to get back to his top form, he's still relatively young and can hold titles.

Hopkins doesn't want Roy to fight Taylor because Hopkins wants Roy after Calzaghe! I think Roy would be best suited to fight a guy like Manfredo or Lacy if he's going to fight at 168 and take on the winner of Calzaghe-Hopkins....he has to fight someone that is a decent fighter but that poses no true threat to him....unless he wants to risk it and he could take on a brawler like Edison Miranda or a guy who is a scaredy cat puncher like Allen Green.

Scaredy-cat puncher? Are you basing that solely on his performance against Miranda? You must not have seen him as recent as when he almost tore Ruben Williams' head off and Williams has a really good chin. Actually, Taylor should fight Williams- a sturdy, durable guy who more than likely will still be in there after 12. If he fights a full-powered Lacy I think he'll get used (Jeff would just wait him out until he tires and then zoom in).

At this point Roy would abuse Taylor. He's still fast and you don't get more relaxed than Roy. Roy would easily be able to keep Taylor off until the 2nd half and then he'd probably clown him. Until Taylor finds his feet he should stay away from anyone above the level of Miranda.

[El Kabong]

....Ruben Williams posed a threat to Green