After it was announced that Jermain Taylor would in fact be continuing his competition in the Super Six Tourney, Lou DiBella did what not many promoters have done in the past... he walked away. Now, who knows if there are other motives behind this decision? We have to take him at face value, unless we get new information.
DiBella claims he does not support Taylor's decision to continue fighting, and while he wished him well, he will not be a part of it. Hopefully this serves notice to other promoters to do the same, but i think that will be about as effective as hoping that Tiger Woods' scandal will slow any other athletes down in their 'transgressions'.
The person whom I most hope it affects is Taylor himself. Lou DiBella is walking away from a six and seven figure fighter, because he knows that it is over. Rather than join the lackeys, yes-men and hangers-on that accumulate around many fighters, and may be solely responsiuble for the later careers of Roy Jones and Julio Cesar Chavez, he has chosen not to associate himself with that downward spiral.
Speaking of which, a downward spiral featuring embarrassment is nowhere near the worst case scenario that Taylor is potentially facing. He has been brutally knocked out after 3 of his last 5 fights. And not quick one-punch KO's either. He is seriously risking his health in the immediate, not just the long-term, future.
It's not difficult to see why Taylor still thinks he has a shot. Andre Ward is not a brutal puncher. In addition, the fights he lost were all winnable fights, yet the fact that they were winnable helped to show two characterstics that will inhibit future success.
These are namely his lack of killer instinct, and lack of chin. These are not things likely to change with a new trainer, diet, or promoter backing him, therefore why bother de-lustering an impressive career? Jermain, when your businessman has to think about your health, it means you haven't been.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
