Hey Bruce,
I've been thinking about it - and it has been a busy week, so I've not been able to comment as much as I would have liked to - but at this point I am generally, and marginally, leaning toward Taylor by a close decision.
I've always been impressed with Hopkins' ability to come into a fight with a well-constructed game plan and make adjustments as things progress, but I think that Taylor's hand speed, activity level, and movement will obviate that factor and, more importantly, have a huge influence in the eyes of the judges. In addition - and I'm not sure that many of the fans and commentators have registered this element - Taylor is a strong, physically-imposing presence in the ring where Delahoya and Trinidad were blown up welterweights, Eastman and Holmes were skinny, lanky rails, and etc.: Hopkins hasn't fought a "real" middleweight in some time, and everything that Taylor does (or, conversely, that Hopkins fails to do) will be magnified by that.
The major advantage Hopkins has, as I see it, is his time in the spotlight, whereas this will be Taylor's first truly big time fight.
Overall, it's my belief that the balance is tipped toward the younger man, and thus I'm picking Taylor to win by decision.
e |
