BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI — Jermain Taylor kept his poise after another late knockdown scare to take a unanimous decision win over Caleb Truax on ShoBox Friday night (April 20).
After controlling the first eight rounds behind a stiff jab, Taylor was dropped off a counter right hand. Taylor effectively held the rest of the round to recover. Taylor repeated the survival technique in the tenth but also added jabs and left hooks to finish strong.
The final scorecards read 98-91, 97-92 and 97-94 all for Taylor. Despite the knockdown in what was supposed to be a exhibition bout, Taylor was defiant in the post-fight interview and made it clear that he was ready to face a Top 10 middleweight.
“Talk about it [the knockdown]! I got back up and did my thing,” exclaimed Taylor. “That’s all I been thinking about — how I was gonna act when I got knocked down… I was alright, a little dazed, but this is what I planned for, I know the feeling. I’ve been there before but I know I’m in shape so I can get back on his ass. I don’t care about getting knocked down. I’ve been knocked out a lot of times so who gives a damn! That’s what’s dangerous about me, [that] I don’t care about it! They gotta get me out of there. If they don’t I’m beating them!”
Jermain Taylor improves to 30-4-1, with 18 KOs.
THE KNOCKDOWN
FULL FIGHT (POST-FIGHT INTERVIEW AT 50:43 MARK)
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 