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HBO will be showing the June 17 middleweight title bout; champion Jermain Taylor defends against Ronald "Winky" Wright. It should be an interesting fight. Wright's style isn't exciting compared to most of the top fighters, but he is very, very good. He's a southpaw who tends to counterpunch without a lot of power. He frustrates good boxers, often keeping them from getting "on track" with their jab.
Taylor, of course, is a young, fast, and strong fighter, who has won two fights in a row over Bernard Hopkins. Considering Bernard's recent victory over Tarver for the light heavyweight title, Taylor's victories seem all the more impressive.
Let's compare the the two: Taylor has a 25-0 record, with 17 KOs. He is not a big puncher, but his ability to put combinations together wears opponents down. Wright is 53-3, with 25 KOs. In my opinion, he is better than his record indicates. I do not mean just the numbers; boxing fans know he has been avoided by many of the big names for years.
Taylor was born on 8-11-78; Wright on 11-26-71. Jermain is 6'1", Winky is 5'11". Taylor's reach is 78", giving him a 6" advantage. His chest is bigger; his waist smaller; his thighs are 5" larger; and his calf measure 12", two inches smaller than Wright's.
The "biggest" names on each of their records are very impressive. Taylor beat Bernard twice, the second time more convincingly; Wright beat Trinidad easily, and has victories over Mosley. Winky fought Vargas, losing a curious decision.
Taylor has been sparring with Andy Lee, the undefeated Irish middleweight (2-0, with 1 KO). Andy is a 6'2" southpaw. Jermain has reportedly been looking extremely sharp in his final week of training. I don't have any reports on Wright's training, but he is always extremely well prepared when he gets into the ring.
I read that Tommy Hearns has been watching Jermain train (no surprise, considering his new trainer!), and said he is getting to where he would have been able to fight against the top guys in the 1980s. It's too early to say about where he may end up ranking in the division's history, but I thought that was pretty impressive.
Winky Wright would be a frustrating fight for guys his weight at any era. Can he step up and take a younger, faster, and stronger champion? I would never overlook this guy. It is a pretty even match going in. I'll be curious who can land their jab early on. If Wright can counter Taylor's jab with his own, he will be tough to beat. If Jermain can land double jabs early on, he will likely be on his way to a decision.
Good luck to both. I hope people enjoy the fight. And, if HBO has time, I hope we get to see Andy Lee's fight.
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