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Result \ PBP
Taylor vs. Joppy
December 4, 2004 Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas
WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Bout (12 Rds) Jermain Taylor (22-0, 16 KO's) wins a unanimous decision over William Joppy (34-4-1, 25 KO's) - Judges scored the bout 120-107 on all scorecards - Taylor retains title
Play by Play __________________________________________
Round 1: Joppy in Blue. Taylor in Brown. The fight begins. Taylor throws a few quick jabs, then an overhand right that lands on Joppy. Both fighters are in the center of the ring, circling. Joppy throws a straight right that misses. Both still circle. Taylor tries throwing a one punch knock-out, then lands a good jab with his left. Joppy lands a jab. He tries to push the fight forward while Taylor moves around. Taylor throws a combination to the body of Joppy, who does a good job blocking. No damage is done. Joppy lands a straight jab to Taylor’s face, and Taylor responds with the same. Taylor is able to land a couple of hooks to the body, then an uppercut, and then Taylor unleashes a series of punches which Joppy can only try to defend himself against. The bell rings.
Round 2: Joppy throws some body jabs, which miss. Taylor again goes with the hook to the head, which misses. Joppy delivers a few jabs, then a right, but they’re blocked by Taylor. Taylor delivers a combination to Joppy’s face. Joppy uses his jab, trying to keep Taylor away. Both fighters stay in the center of the ring, with Joppy throwing jabs, but missing, and Taylor throwing fewer jabs, but landing them. Taylor throws Joppy against the ropes. Joppy complains about his eye to the ref, but the ref doesn’t notice. Joppy blinks, as if his eye is bothering him. Joppy moves around the ring, trying not to let Taylor catch him with any punches. Back to the center of the ring, Joppy seems to have recovered from his eye problem, but it still seems to be bothering him a little bit. Joppy tries to deliver some jabs, but Taylor moves away. Taylor tries to chase down Joppy, but Joppy hold on. Taylor delivers a straight jab to the face of Joppy just before the bell rings.
Joppy’s Corner: There is discussion about his right eye.
Round 3: Taylor comes out with a couple of body punches. Joppy tries delivering a jab, but Taylor avoids it. Taylor lands a good left short hook, stopping Joppy’s advance. Taylor lands a few good jabs, and Joppy answers with his own good jabs to Taylor’s face. Taylor lands an uppercut to the body, resulting in no damage. Taylor lands a straight jab to the face of Joppy, and then tries delivering a left hook with power, but Joppy blocks it. Taylor delivers a combination of punches to Joppy’s body. No damage. Joppy now pushes the fight forward, but Taylor is able to counter Joppy’s advance with jabs. Taylor again is able to go through with a right jab, and get to Joppy’s face, then apply power punches to Joppy’s body. Taylor delivers a combination of punches to Joppy’s body. His punches are hard, but most are being blocked by Joppy. The bell rings.
Round 4: Joppy throws jabs, pushing Taylor back. They circle the center of the ring, with Joppy trying to land jabs, but they are being effectively blocked by Taylor. Joppy pushes the fight at this time, moving on Taylor. Joppy doesn’t land many punches, but forces Taylor back. Joppy comes forward and Taylor lands an overhand right to the side of Joppy’s head. Joppy moves forward again, they clinch, and Joppy lands a few hooks to Taylor’s body. Taylor responds with a hook to the body of Joppy, but Joppy comes back with his own hook to the face. They break. Taylor comes in and lands a left right to the face of Joppy, then follows with a jabs that misses. Joppy is still the aggressor, throwing a few jabs, while Taylor counters with a left hook to the mid-section. Taylor lands a good upper-cut on Joppy, but Joppy still moves forward, as if he hasn’t been phased, and pushes the fight even more. The bell rings.
Round 5: Joppy tries pushes the fight, moving forward on Taylor. Both fighters throw jabs. A few land, here and there. Taylor goes with an overhand right after a few jabs, and lands the punch. Taylor uses his jab again, and lands it on Joppy. Joppy fights back with a few good body punches on Taylor. Taylor lands another uppercut as Joppy comes in, but Joppy still moves forward. Taylor is able to connect with a jab as Joppy tries moving in. Joppy lands a straight jab. The ref calls time. Taylor’s glove tape is coming loose. It’s fixed, and the fight continues. Taylor comes in with a combination to the body, then another combination to Joppy’s head. Taylor throws another left hook to the face that sends Joppy down. Joppy is given a count. Joppy is up quick, and ready to fight. Taylor advances on Joppy, going for the head. Taylor gets Joppy on the ropes. Joppy is able to deliver a few good jabs back at Taylor. Joppy drops his hands, inviting Taylor in. Taylor comes in and corners Joppy, but misses with his punches. The bell rings.
Round 6: Taylor comes in with a right hook that lands on Joppy’s face. Taylor delivers some strong punches, but Joppy is able to block several of them. The ref stops both fighters after a clinch. He tells them to break when he says “break”. They continue. Joppy tries a jab, but misses. Joppy plays around, skipping around the ring with his hands down. He taunts Taylor to come in close. Taylor comes in but Joppy clinches, and they break again. Taylor uses his jab, planting a few on Joppy. Taylor shoots an uppercut that barely misses, then a left hook that lands, then a right, then another left. Joppy circles Taylor. Taylor tries to close the gap. Joppy lands a jab on Taylor’s face. They clinch. Taylor lands three consecutive body punches with the left while they’re tied up. The bell rings.
Round 7: Joppy tries a jab but misses. Joppy tries moving around, staying his ground like before. Taylor lands a series of jabs. Joppy lands a right hand over the top at Taylor. Taylor lands a good uppercut, snapping Joppy’s head back. They clinch and the ref breaks them apart. Both tie up again. The ref breaks them again. Taylor corners Joppy and Joppy ties Taylor up. Joppy delivers a quick jab while in the clinch. Joppy breaks away and moves around the ring. Taylor tries to corner Joppy. Joppy taunts Taylor, moving around the ring with his hands down. Taylor corners Joppy, and give him three left hooks, but all land on Joppy’s glove. Taylor delivers an uppercut to the body and Joppy delivers a straight jab to Taylor’s face. No damage on Joppy’s part. Joppy delivers a straight right that lands on Taylor’s face. The bell rings and both fighters exchange a few late punches.
Round 8: Taylor throws a jab. Joppy blocks it. Taylor throws a straight right, but it’s blocked as well. Taylor throws another left hook that lands on Joppy’s face. Taylor lands a jab several times. – a stiff hard jab. Joppy is able to land his own jab. Both fighters circle. Joppy comes in, and Taylor lands a jab. Taylor lands a series of punches, finishing with one to Joppy’s head. Joppy moves left to right with his hands down, teasing Taylor to come in. Taylor throws a jab and lands it. They clinch, and the ref breaks them up. Joppy comes in, lands a straight jab, and Taylor responds with his own straight jab.
Round 9: Taylor comes out with punches, and Joppy answering with his own. Taylor chases down Joppy, who moves around the ring. Taylor tries to corner Joppy, but Joppy moves around the ropes. Joppy complains to ref about a shoulder to the eye while in the clinch. The fight continues. Taylor corners Joppy, but Joppy ducks under and moves away. Now Taylor is telling Joppy to fight, responding to Joppy’s earlier taunts. Taylor corners Joppy and Joppy tries lifting Taylor – it looks like he’s going to try to throw Taylor out of the ring. The ref stops the fight briefly. Both fighters forcibly have to touch gloves to continue the fight. Taylor looks angry. He delivers a good uppercut. Taylor is on the prowl, trying to hunting Joppy down. Joppy moves away, right to left. Taylor tries to cut down the ring. Joppy continues to taunt Taylor, and Taylor continues to try to get Joppy against the ropes. Taylor delivers a few good body punches before Joppy can move away. Taylor again gets Joppy at the edge, delivers a few good punches to the face, but it is not without Joppy responding with punches of his own. The bell rings.
Round 10: Taylor throws a jab, blocked by Joppy. Taylor gets in a few good jabs, responded to by Joppy. Joppy moves left to right. Taylor gets a few good punches to the body and then to the head. They clinch. They break. Taylor chases Joppy down. Joppy gets a left-right combo to the face compliments of Taylor. Joppy ties Taylor up. The ref makes them separate. In the center of the ring, Taylor forces Joppy against the ropes, and delivers a right-left to the head, then a right-left to the body. Taylor gives two left hooks to the face, but Joppy blocks. Taylor gives another combo to the face then body of Joppy. Joppy gets away, then tries rousing the crowd -- but the crowd boos. Joppy continues to avoid Taylor. Taylor gives a straight jab. Taylor puts Joppy against the ropes, unleashing a furry of punches to Joppy’s body. The bell rings.
Round 11: Ref stops fight for water clean-up in the corner. Taylor chases Joppy to the corner, and delivers a jab that is blocked. Taylor delivers a straight right that lands on Joppy, then a left hook to the face. Joppy is put against the ropes, where Taylor delivers a series of punches, which end with a series on the body. Taylor again delivers a left hook to Joppy’s face. Joppy tries to come back but misses with his punches. Joppy tires chasing Taylor down, landing a few rights to Taylor’s face. Taylor lands a few straight jabs right between the gloves protecting Joppy’s face. Joppy throws punches, but Taylor moves away, reading Joppy completely. Joppy tries to be more active, but his punches have no power. Taylor lands a good left hook to the body of Joppy. Joppy moves around the ring, left to right, while Taylor tries cutting the ring off. The crowd boos. Taylor corners Joppy, and lands a right hook, which is partially blocked. Taylor lands a few more good punches to the body. The bell rings.
Round 12: Joppy tries a left and right hook, but misses. Taylor throws his jab. Taylor lands an overhead right on Joppy’s face, and then goes back to his jab. Joppy moves around the ring, not engaging. Taylor tries chasing him down, and manages a straight jab during the pursuit. Taylor continues the chase of Joppy, who keeps moving from side to side. Taylor motions to Joppy for him (Joppy) to try to hit him (Taylor). Taylor lands a jab and then a straight right as Joppy moves away. No damage. The ref calls time to tell Joppy to fight. They continue. Taylor lands a few body punches, and then shoots a right left combo to the head of Joppy, who blocks some of the punches. Joppy lands a right, and the final bell ring while both men are in a clinch.
Judge’s Decision: 120-107, 120-107, 120-107 Unanimous decision for Jermain Taylor (Still the middleweight champion).
(12/4/04)
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