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2000 US Olympian Jermain Taylor makes his pro debut at Middleweight against Chris Walsh on HBO KO Nation from the theater at Madison Square Garden
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00:02is when it comes to the Vincent Valdez fight still to come we have more action we're going
00:09to hear from Ricardo Williams jr. the Olympic silver medalist he'll square off against Anthony
00:16Simpkins and don't forget hip-hop recording artists from Rockefeller Records Memphis
00:26bleak will be in the house right now though right now let's take a look at some upcoming HBO programs
01:00hey as we continue remember President Clinton exit the scene he exited the scene Little Rock now has a new
01:09champion of the people it's U.S. bronze medalist Jermaine bad intentions Taylor Taylor takes on hard-hitting Chris Walsh
01:19in a middleweight
01:20bout expected to be a KO nation showcase once again let's go ringside with Fran Charles and Kevin Kelly
01:29all right Jermaine Taylor is the first Arkansas born and trained fighter to make it all the way to the
01:35Olympics and he did not disappoint earning a bronze medal pundits say that Taylor style is best suited for
01:42the professional game we could have a star in the making first of all it's a blessing to be in
01:51the garden you know on your first fight some people don't even make it to the garden and they had
01:57over a hundred fights you know but I'm going here and I'll make everybody proud I'm gonna do what I'm
02:01supposed to do you know I'm gonna make my stance right there at 154 I had to lose so much
02:07weight until it's making me weak and now I'm at 160 and
02:12I'm telling you I've been I've been I've been in the gym just taking over you know feel good I'm
02:18nervous yes I'm nervous you know I can't wait you know I think about all the time you know I'm
02:25about to go in this ring I ain't gonna have no headgear on no more no shirt on you know
02:29I'm kind of worried about if I get a cut on my face or something is my abs looking right
02:34you know yeah it's a big change from amateur to professional
02:43all right Kevin why are Jermaine's skills more suited towards a professional game well one thing that Jermaine does he's
02:50more constant as a professional with certain things that you just can't give a fighter sometimes it has to be
02:55ball with them they visualize they see them he fights at Tennessee when a land is big punch he sees
03:00he steps to the side steps to the left he steps to the right they look for his counter he
03:04necessarily ain't trying to get a knockout he ain't trying to let his hands go and land in quantity he's
03:09trying to land in quality
03:10no easy debut for Taylor Chris Walsh has fought 22 times
03:15well he's fighting a fighter and Taylor that fights like a professional he fights like he's more seasoned even as
03:22an amateur people would say wow Taylor looks more like a professional than an amateur so I think this transcending
03:28is definitely appropriate right this time
03:30all right Kevin it's time to meet the fighters
03:37and now entering the building
03:40it's Chris Walsh
03:42of Pennsylvania
03:45and
03:46he will be entering to the music of Mr. Cool
03:49and shake your ass
03:52shake your ass
03:53I can't even put my dick in my hand
03:55don't let me know if I'm putting your ass in cool
04:01thank you
04:07good
04:09good
04:09good
04:11take
04:12good
04:12good
04:31As mentioned, Walsh has 22 professional fights.
04:35He didn't even want to be a boxer growing up.
04:36He was a huge baseball fan.
04:39He read that Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly used a speed bat.
04:43He had to enhance his hand-eye coordination.
04:45So for his 12th birthday, he asked for a speed bag
04:49and quickly gave way to boxing as opposed to baseball.
04:59And now, our bronze medalist, Jermaine Taylor.
05:05I was at 23rd and White Plain.
05:08Me and my boy, he was riding the train.
05:10I saw you.
05:12Number five.
05:12Number five.
05:17Here he comes.
05:19I know you feel me.
05:22But you rock I'll never feel, never find.
05:27No.
05:29No.
05:33Number five.
05:56I know you hurt me, but you want him never me.
06:18Taylor is a two-time national champion who started boxing at the age of 13 when his uncle introduced him
06:25to the sport.
06:25He told us that in his first bout, he was beaten down severely, but now it is Jermaine Taylor who's
06:31administering the beatdowns.
06:33Well, Jermaine Taylor is such a good fighter.
06:36He has a lot of skills, a lot of professional skills early in his career.
06:40I think this is maybe his first professional fight, but he's going to look more like a seasoned pro with
06:4410 fights, maybe 15 fights tonight.
06:46Taylor known for his big punching power with his right hand.
06:50Let's take a look at the tail of the tank for this middleweight bout between Jermaine Taylor and Chris Walsh.
06:56Walsh, four years older than Taylor.
06:58Taylor with the slight four-inch height advantage.
07:01Both fighters making weight and staying relatively on their weight since they stepped on our unofficial scale.
07:09It is Walsh with the 72-inch reach.
07:12And Taylor, we do not have that information.
07:17His manager would not give it to us.
07:20All right, let's send it in the ring now to Michael Buffer for the pre-fight official introductions.
07:25Ladies and gentlemen, here at New York City's Madison Square Garden, courtesy of DiBella Entertainment,
07:31the Undisputed King of Beers, Budweiser and Cedric Kushner Productions, the Night of Olympic Heroes continues.
07:39The three judges scoring this bout will be Tommy Kazmieric, Melvina Latham and Steve Weisfeld.
07:46And when the bell rings, your referee in charge of the action, Arthur Mercanti Jr.
07:52And now, ladies and gentlemen, four rounds of boxing.
07:55This is in the middleweight division.
07:59Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, wearing emerald green with white and weighing in at 160 and one
08:07-half pounds.
08:09His professional record, an excellent one.
08:1117 victories, including six knockouts to his credit.
08:15With four losses and a draw, he comes to us from Scranton, Pennsylvania.
08:19Ladies and gentlemen, here is Irish Chris Walsh.
08:28And his opponent across the ring, fighting out of the red corner, wearing red, trimmed with white.
08:34His weight, 158 and one-half pounds.
08:37This United States Olympian captured the bronze medal in the Y2K Olympics.
08:44And he comes to us from Little Rock, Arkansas.
08:47Ladies and gentlemen, making his professional debut.
08:50Ladies and gentlemen, here is Jermaine Taylor.
09:07Let's have a nice, clean fight.
09:09Good luck to the both of you.
09:24Let's go, buddy.
09:28Let's go, gentlemen.
09:33Jermaine Taylor felt that the amateur scoring was not conducive to his style.
09:41He says he's a body puncher, and also he likes to wait and pick his spots.
09:49You're going to see Jermaine Taylor's already punching with bad intentions already as a
09:53professional.
09:53And you can see that in every shot he throws, he ain't trying to gain no points.
10:01As we mentioned, Walsh is not a guy who you would expect that Taylor would face to make
10:07his debut.
10:0822 professional fights.
10:10Grant Edwards, the caliber of the opponents may not have been very strong, but still,
10:1822 professional fights or 22 professional fights.
10:21I believe Jermaine Taylor wants to make an example of Walsh.
10:24He wants to show, make a stake tonight.
10:27He wants to show that he's ready for the big guns early in his career rather than later in his
10:31career.
10:34Taylor now goes to work to the body with that right hand.
10:40Walsh is definitely paying attention to that body shot.
10:42Taylor has a straight, crisp right hand.
10:44He's got a very stiff jab.
10:47He fights very professional-like.
10:49And I can see what the resemblance was in the amateurs compared to the professionals.
10:58Taylor looking to size up Chris Walsh in the opening round.
11:05I'm sure Taylor's a pinch-nervous here.
11:08You know, his time's a little off and the excitement of the room, first big fight on HBO.
11:15There's a lot of pressure right there for you in the way.
11:18The man is screaming.
11:21Jermaine Taylor will be upset with me after he watches KO Nation, but I can't keep it in Kevin.
11:28He's a huge country music fan.
11:30Oh yeah, country music.
11:32I tried to say country rap, but he wouldn't go for that one either.
11:35He says he likes Garth Brooks and Pixie Chicks.
11:38He told me he looked tight and tight.
11:39I can't lie.
11:40Me too.
11:43Taylor now.
11:45Trying to unroll.
11:47I believe the arms of Walsh just went numb when Taylor hit him.
11:50Taylor's throwing in some heavy artillery with that right hand.
11:54Shows the big punching power.
11:55Connects on a big right hand.
11:57Taylor may be hurt.
12:00Walsh.
12:04Walsh, excuse me.
12:05Walsh may be hurt.
12:06Thank you, Kevin.
12:07No problem.
12:16Taylor now has to practice finishing skills as a professional, knowing how to slow down,
12:21lay on effective shots, and pinpointing shots at this point.
12:25There's already a cut underneath the left eye of Chris Walsh.
12:31Cut.
12:39Breathe and relax.
12:40Outstanding job, son.
12:42Breathe and relax.
12:44Slow your breathing down.
12:45Outstanding.
12:47Outstanding.
12:48Breathe and relax.
12:51You're working that left hand real nice.
12:53He doesn't want any part of it, so he's trying to get down underneath you.
12:57Okay?
12:58So get him back up.
12:59You can do a lot of things off that left hand.
13:01Jab.
13:01Come back with something, okay?
13:03You're not punching with him.
13:04Alright.
13:04He's doing everything.
13:05You're doing nothing.
13:06Don't worry about this guy.
13:07Let it go.
13:08You follow me?
13:09You got me?
13:10When he goes one, two, three, you've got to come back one, two, three.
13:14Okay?
13:14All right.
13:15You're doing good, Chris.
13:16You're doing beautiful.
13:17Beautiful.
13:17Get off.
13:18But you've got a little too long on your punches.
13:21Shorten them up, okay?
13:22Get ready.
13:22Jab is the key thing.
13:23Everything off the jab.
13:24You're doing a beautiful job.
13:25Punches out!
13:32Our Compubots punch that numbers show us that Walt threw just 22 total punches in the first
13:38round, landing three, and that certainly won't get it done against someone the likes of Jermaine
13:43Taylor.
13:44Jermaine Taylor got a very stiff jab.
13:45I think that's why Walt is having so many problems.
13:48He's got to get past that very stiff straight jab of Taylor.
14:10The big thing that Walt, with all the fights that he has is not doing, he's not going to
14:15tell his body.
14:16He's going to tell his body early.
14:18You know, he has more experience.
14:19He's got more fights.
14:20Try to discourage the younger Taylor.
14:22Try to discourage the Taylor who's first professional fight.
14:26Looks like he's having a problem getting close to Taylor with that stiff jab.
14:30Well, he's not walking in behind his own jab.
14:32That's why it presents such a problem for him.
14:34He has to pop his jab, step behind it, punch to the body, and stay close to Taylor.
14:39Instead, he's on the outside in Taylor's range.
14:42He's got it with that stiff jab, once again, being on the outside.
14:44Taylor doing a good job of utilizing his jab, showing off his quickness.
14:50Yeah, the only problem I see Taylor's having is that when he throws his right hand like
14:53he just did, he misses, he doesn't come back to the jab.
14:56And that's the problem why he's falling in, he's off balance, and he's out of range.
15:05He's not punching to the body at all.
15:18Taylor blows up with a big straight right hand, and now Chris Walsh might be in trouble.
15:24He ties up.
15:26There you see the professional experience coming into play.
15:30Well, Walsh is very tough, and I think that Taylor has to do something else besides the
15:34straight right hand, come back with a left hook, or go to the body, or come with an uppercut.
15:38He's got to finish up his work.
15:41Walsh told us yesterday the last time that he's been on a scheduled four-round fight was five years ago.
15:47It's a different mentality when you go into the ring for a four-rounder as opposed to a ten or
15:51a twelve-round.
15:52That's a different pace. Taylor's used to two-minute rounds, four rounds, where Walsh is used to ten rounds, three
15:58minutes.
15:58So I'm gonna jump in here for both men to an extent, but more for Walsh.
16:06Taylor punishing Walsh with two straight right hands, and now gets him in the corner and unloads for a quick
16:12one-two.
16:14Walsh definitely jumps out and tries to tie up.
16:17Wait!
16:18Set that.
16:19Heied for the professional influence.
16:21Metella, that punching power that he has.
16:23Definitely going to land with bad attention.
16:28injuries.
16:44There you see Carl Relees Reynolds, the girlfriend of Jermaine Taylor.
16:55Definitely concerned.
17:01There's a big right hand from Jermaine Taylor.
17:03You see the big right hand, he throws one hand, finally come back to the left hook.
17:07He needs to do that and come back to the jab off that, but he did it very effectively there.
17:11Hit it.
17:12Hit it.
17:12Another angle of the big right hand, he lands over the top.
17:15Every time Walsh drops that left hand, he comes over the top with a straight right hand
17:19and come back to the hook.
17:22Here we look at the left of the last round, and two punches landed.
17:26Straight right hand, back to the left hook, he gets in for the kill, doesn't get it, but
17:30hey, he gets some work done.
17:31The M.O. on bronze medalist Jermaine Taylor, big puncher with his right hand, and he certainly
17:41put that on display this evening.
17:46Walsh taking time to get warmed up.
17:50Throwing just 24 jabs in the second, and one slowdown.
17:56Stunned by a right hand from Jermaine Taylor.
17:58Five, six, seven.
18:00Jermaine Taylor goes that right hand with bad conviction.
18:02Every time it goes with bad conviction.
18:04He didn't come back with the hook, he might have finished the fight, but that right hand
18:07is lethal.
18:08A long time left in the third round.
18:11Two minutes and 20 seconds, and you know Jermaine Taylor wants a knockout in his professional debut.
18:17But he can't get slapped because he'll walk into something himself.
18:19And you have to remember, opponent has some professional fights.
18:23Don't get careless.
18:29Professional boxing, we call this a clean up.
18:31You get a man hurt, it's called a clean up.
18:33You got to clean him up properly.
18:34If you do it wrong, you can want him getting cleaned out.
18:36Move, move, move, move, move.
18:48Step back, step back.
19:01There's Taylor putting his punches together, starting to implement the jab
19:04a little bit more, but land more effectively, Walsh going back on his heels, look at that
19:08straight right hand again, and it sends Walsh back into the ropes where he doesn't want to be,
19:13and Taylor now goes to work down on the left side of Walsh's body.
19:19Walsh right now is very discouraged, feels like he's not trying to catch Taylor walking in anymore,
19:23he's just settling, and that's the worst thing he could do, but Taylor has to still be very careful.
19:28How long will it take, Kevin, before those looping right hands take an effect on Chris Walsh?
19:32They're taking effect already, Walsh went down, so they're taking the effect slowly but surely,
19:37but he has to, Taylor has to land the more frequently, more consistently he take Walsh out.
19:42Blood now coming from the nose of Chris Walsh.
19:46The major thing that Taylor can't do in this fight is get over anxious.
19:52Walsh sent reeling back into the ropes as Taylor's right hand sticks through his defensive guard.
19:59Arthur McCants is very close, Jr. is very close, he's stopping his fight,
20:03look at it, Walsh very well, he's looking in his eyes, he's looking at his face,
20:07I mean he's very close to the action.
20:10There he is, he's right, very, very close to the action.
20:14I think he's looking out for a well-being of Walsh.
20:16Walsh is taking some tremendous punches in his fight.
20:19Those straight right hands are dangerous.
20:21Give Jermaine Taylor credit, he did not abandon his plan once Walsh went down.
20:28He's remained active, but also in control as the third round comes to a close.
20:32What's his point?
20:43Black cut?
20:44No, not black cut.
20:45Listen to me, don't be okay.
20:46Every time you throw your two, you nail him.
20:48But don't bend down like this, because you don't want an uppercut up inside.
20:51Don't bend down!
20:52Don't put your jab on top on that.
20:53You know what's the top on that?
20:55Don't worry about it, Chris, don't look like that.
20:57Listen to me, you're going four rounds.
20:58Let me tell you one thing, okay?
20:59What?
20:59What everything is the key is off the jab
21:03Shorten your right hand up. Okay, when you throw it nice you're hurting you really extend it. You're out of
21:07balance
21:08Okay, jab jab jab working a body
21:12They're gonna take over this to replay straight right hand
21:16It took took washed out to the canvas that right hand was perfect on a button
21:20That's why Walsh ran a hit another angle of the right hand
21:23You see off a jack straight right hand was like kind of a delayed reaction to the punch for Walsh
21:28definitely went down
21:29All right, we begin the fourth and final round. Let's bring in Julie Letterman. Julie, how do you have the
21:35fight score?
21:35Ram, I've got it 30 to 26 three rounds to nothing Jermaine Taylor. I love that jab right hand on
21:41it
21:41This is Walsh with a big right hand and Walsh is down
21:46He's gonna stop it. Randy's gonna start. He's gonna stop this fight
21:50He's gonna stop it. Stop it. Julie Letterman, you're exactly right. Arthur McKenzie, Jr., one of the best referees in
21:56the business
21:57stops the fight
21:59In the fourth round Jermaine Taylor getting what he wants
22:03A knockout this professional debut
22:07Beautifully demonstrated the power of his right hand
22:10Going to try around
22:11Hey, hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
22:14I look like he was looking out for Walsh
22:15He's looking out for the better being of him
22:17I mean he's going another day
22:18I mean you know
22:19This fight is not that big than life.
22:21He was taking tremendous right hands.
22:23He went down from a big right hand, and he knows Tillich can't punch.
22:26And that last knockdown, it was, you know, it wasn't a questionable knockdown.
22:30He went down legitimately.
22:31He got up.
22:32He might have cleared his head a little bit if he got up, but the inevitable was definitely
22:35going to happen.
22:36Earlier, we told you that Carl Louise Reynolds was Taylor's girlfriend.
22:39She is his mother.
22:41Markeisha Whitmore is Taylor's girlfriend.
22:44The two are side by side.
22:45They were concerned earlier, but they are smiling now.
22:48There is Whitmore, excited over her boyfriend's performance in his professional debut.
22:59Should we expect big things to come from Jermaine Taylor?
23:02I believe so.
23:03I believe he's got the comments out of the system right now for the first professional fight.
23:07I'm expecting that punching power is very good that he has.
23:10He needs it.
23:10He has a look at the big right hand again at the end of the fight.
23:13As you see, Walsh goes down.
23:15He hits him again his way down.
23:16Nothing dramatic, but here's another angle at the punch again.
23:19Just over the top of that weak left jab that Walsh was throwing.
23:23He goes down.
23:24His legs deceive him.
23:26Arthur McKenzie Jr. stopped it immediately.
23:28Here's another angle at the same punch again.
23:30You see the effects of the shot.
23:32As he goes down, Arthur McKenzie Jr. steps in.
23:35He looks out for Walsh.
23:36Hey, the kick continue another day.
23:39All right, let's send it up to Michael Buffer with the official decision.
23:44Ladies and gentlemen, the official time is 16 seconds into round number four.
23:50As referee Arthur McKenzie waves off the count and calls a halt to the bout.
23:55The winner by TKO victory winning his professional debut, Jermaine Taylor.
24:12How about a round of applause for the game effort of Chris Walsh from Scranton, VA.
24:16Let's give him a hand.
24:22All right, let's take a look at the numbers here that landed the punch stats.
24:26You can see Tell was much busier than Walsh, landing more, throwing more,
24:31and his higher percentage definitely of connection.
24:33I mean, those are the punches that put Walsh down,
24:35and that's why this fight was won by a knockout by Teller.
24:39Now, up to you, friend.
24:42All right, Kevin, I'm standing by with a happy fugilist, Jermaine Taylor,
24:45making your professional debut.
24:46We talked about your punching power with your right hand,
24:49and you displayed that tonight.
24:51He was a veteran.
24:52You know, I take nothing away from him.
24:54He's the best, you know what I mean?
24:55His record speaks for itself.
24:58I got in there, I was a little timid at first, by getting hit.
25:00You know, I ain't used to the head gear thing, but I love this sport.
25:04You know, I love it.
25:05Jermaine, your right hand was very strong,
25:07but you also utilized your jab very effectively.
25:09A lot of people say all Jermaine Taylor got is a right hand.
25:13I got a jab, too, baby.
25:14I got a nice left hand.
25:15And I think I just played that well tonight.
25:19Now you get to see two more of your teammates actually come inside the ring,
25:23and you'll have a smile on your face in doing so.
25:26I can't wait to see my boys out here doing their thing.
25:28You know, I love them.
25:29They was in the room with me, you know.
25:31I spent like six months of my life with them.
25:33And, you know, it's a beautiful thing to see all of us together.
25:36I want to thank HBO for putting this together.
25:38Let's take a look at some of the action that you had inside your fight.
25:41We talked about the right hand, and you used it from the outset right there.
25:46And that was the end of the fight.
25:50Seems like you used your jab to size up Chris Walsh,
25:53and then you definitely unloaded on the right hand.
25:56Okay, at first I knew I was over his thing like I was doing in amateurs.
26:01So I said, okay, Jermaine, you got to calm down.
26:02You got to just throw it short, and you'll catch him.
26:06And so, no, I put the points together, and I caught him.
26:09A bronze medal, and now a win, a knockout in your professional debut.
26:14Congratulations, Jermaine, and we look forward to seeing you in the future.
26:17I love you, Arkansas.
26:18I love you.
26:19All right, Jermaine Taylor is not going anywhere because we still have two more fights.
26:23Still to come, heavyweight Michael Bennett.
26:25He'll step in the ring and square off against Andrew Hutchinson.
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