Hopkins Starts Slowly, Taylor Finishes Him

It ended on a split decision.

Ended after 12 years without a defeat, after a middleweight-record 20 title defenses, after accumulating the title belts of every major sanctioning body.

The undisputed middleweight crown was finally snatched away from Bernard Hopkins Saturday night in front of an announced crowd of 11,992 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena by Jermain Taylor.

Taylor was thought to be too young, not yet ready for arguably the most polished, crafty, battle-worn and dirty when necessary fighter in the sport. After only 23 professional fights, Taylor was experiencing the harsh glare of a blockbuster match for the first time against an opponent who fought for the first time as a pro when Taylor was 10 years old.

But ultimately, youth -- 26-year-old Taylor is 14 years younger than Hopkins -- and aggressiveness won out.

Judges Paul Smith and Duane Ford gave the fight to Taylor, 115-113. Judge Jerry Roth had Hopkins winning 116-112.

“I feel like crying,” said Taylor, as he embraced his promoter Lou DiBella in the center of the ring.

DiBella, who was involved in a bitter legal battle with Hopkins over libel charges, cried. DiBella won a $610,000 judgment from Hopkins, but this moment might have been even sweeter.

“I think I won the fight,” Hopkins said. “I hurt him two times. The only thing I did wrong was to not knock him out. He made a lot of mistakes. He left his hands down. He threw wide shots and, every time he did, I countered.

“I backed him up more than he backed me up. How could I have possibly lost? I guess the judges see it differently, but the fans can judge for themselves. I am going home tonight feeling like I won the fight.”

Hopkins (46-3-1, 32 knockouts), who last lost to Roy Jones in 1993, jumped out at the opening bell Saturday and charged Taylor (24-0, 17).

But Taylor showed no sign of intimidation, standing his ground. Hopkins quickly backed up.

Hopkins, who is known for his slow starts and conservative approach early in a bout, was at it again, and Taylor took advantage to pile up an early lead.

“I baited him,” Hopkins said “I was willing to play the strategy so I could counterpunch.”

Hopkins made a late charge, but fell short on two of the scorecards.

There is a rematch clause in the contract and both fighters said they’d honor it.

“I learned so much tonight,” Taylor said. “I can’t wait for the rematch.”

*

In a preliminary fight, junior middleweight Vernon Forrest, returning to the ring after a two-year absence, stopped Sergio Rios (17-2, 15) of Mexico 2:43 into the second round of a scheduled 10-rounder.

After Rios went down for the second time in the round, referee Kenny Bayless didn’t bother to finish the count.

The 34-year-old Forrest (36-2, 27) has been out because of shoulder and elbow injuries.

In the semi-main event, Oscar Larios (56-3, 36) of Mexico defended his WBC super-bantamweight title with a 10th-round TKO victory over Wayne McCullough (27-6, 18) of Northern Ireland.

In another title bout, Fernando Montiel (31-1-1, 24) of Mexico defended his World Boxing Organization junior bantamweight championship by winning a unanimous decision over Everth Briceno (21-3, 17) of Nicaragua.

*

Responding to a ruling Friday by the World Boxing Council that its heavyweight champion, Vitali Klitschko, must fight the winner of the Aug. 13 Hasim Rahman-Monty Barrett elimination match, promoter Don King has challenged the Klitschko camp to fight the match on Sept. 24.

Klitschko had petitioned the WBC for an exception to the mandatory challenge to allow him to fight Calvin Brock on Sept. 24. A tentative date of Nov. 12 has been set for Klitschko vs. the winner of Rahman-Barrrett.

Tom Loeffler, an executive with Klitschko’s promotional company, wouldn’t rule out a September date, but said it would be difficult to pull off.

“If King hadn’t insisted on the interim fight,” Loeffler said, “we were willing to fight Rahman on Sept. 24 from the beginning.”

*

Oscar De La Hoya has made Shane Mosley and Marco Antonio Barrera partners in his Golden Boy Promotions company, as he previously did with Hopkins. Mosley and Barrera will fight in separate bouts on a Sept. 17 Golden Boy card.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Great defender

Since defeating Segundo Mercado and winning the vacant IBF middleweight title in 1995, Bernard Hopkins defended his title 21 times over 10 years. A look at his defenses:

46 Wins, 3 losses, 1 draw,

1 no-contest, 32 knockouts

*--* 1996 Jan. 27 Steve Frank KO 1 March 16 Joe Lipsey KO 4 July 16 Bo James KO 11 1997 April 19 John David Jackson KO 7 July 20 Glen Johnson KO 11 Nov. 18 Andrew Council W 12 1998 Jan. 31 Simon Brown KO 6 Aug. 28 Robert Allen NC 4 1999 Feb. 6 Robert Allen TKO 7 Dec. 12 Antwun Echols W 12 2000 May 13 Syd Vanderpool W 12 Dec. 1 Antwun Echols TKO 10 2001 April 14 Keith Holmes W 12* Sept. 29 Felix Trinidad TKO 12** 2002 Feb. 2 Carl Daniels TKO 10 2003 March 29 Mourade Hakkar TKO 8 Dec. 13 William Joppy W 12 2004 June 5 Robert Allen W 12 Sept. 18 Oscar De La Hoya TKO 9 2005 Feb. 19 Howard Eastman W 12 July 16 Jermain Taylor L 12

*--*

* Key -- Won WBC middleweight title;

** Won WBA middleweight title and unified the division.

Source: Los Angeles Times; ibf-usba-boxing.com