Meldrick Taylor

Meldrick Taylor, born on October 19, 1966, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a former American professional boxer known for his successful boxing career, which spanned over 17 years from 1984 to 2002. He won a total of 38 matches, drew one, and lost eight, with 20 knockout wins. Taylor was a two-weight world champion, holding the IBF junior welterweight title from 1988 to 1990, and the WBA welterweight title from 1991 to 1992.

As an amateur, Taylor won a gold medal in the featherweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He made his professional boxing debut at the age of 18 on November 15, 1984, against Luke Lecce and won via a first-round TKO. After his debut, Taylor went on to win 11 more consecutive fights, including six wins via stoppage, before having his first world title fight at the age of 21 on September 3, 1988, against Buddy McGirt for the super-lightweight IBF title. Taylor defeated McGirt via a 12th round TKO to become the super-lightweight champion of the world.

Meldrick Taylor is known for his sensational boxing career, which includes notable victories over Hall-of-Famer Buddy McGirt, John Wesley Meekins, Ernie Chavez, Ramon Flores, Jaime Balboa, Kenneth Kidd, and Tim Scott. However, his fight against James (Buddy) McGirt for the IBF junior welterweight title on September 3, 1988, remains the sole highlight of his career.

Taylor won two world titles at two weight classes, but it was his fight against Julio Cesar Chavez on March 17, 1990, that would make him a household name. This fight drew massive media attention as both men came in unbeaten (Taylor at 24-0-1 and Chavez at 66-0) and regarded as two of the best boxers in the world, regardless of weight class. Their fight was one of the most famous and controversial bouts in boxing history.

The fight between the two greats was at the height of the sport in the early 1990s, and both entered the ring knowing that their legacies were on the line. Taylor took control of the action early on in the fight and began to build up a lead on the scorecards. However, Chavez proved to be a heavier puncher, and was slowly wearing Taylor down even as he lost rounds.

Going into the 12th and final round, Taylor led by wide margins on two of the three scorecards. However, instead of boxing conservatively and holding on to his lead, Taylor opted to fight aggressively against Chavez, which ultimately led to his downfall. Chavez floored Taylor with just 17 seconds left in the fight, and although Taylor beat the 10-count and got back to his feet at six, he didn't respond when asked if he was okay by the referee, and the fight was stopped with just two seconds left, awarding Chávez a win by TKO.

The controversy surrounding the stoppage continues to this day, and many believe that Taylor was essentially 'ruined' as a fighter because of this bout—due in part to the tremendous punishment taken at the hands of Chavez, including several fractures and some kidney damage. Nevertheless, Taylor moved up to welterweight (147 pounds) and decisioned undefeated Aaron Davis for the WBA welterweight title on January 19, 1991, and challenged Chavez for a rematch at 147 pounds, but the latter wouldn't move up in weight for many years.

Taylor competed in several more fights, winning some and losing others, before retiring from professional boxing with a record of 38-8-1, which included 20 knockout wins and four losses via knockout, and two title wins. His last fight was a non-title bout against Wayne Martell on July 20, 2002, which he lost via a 10 round unanimous decision. It's been 20 years, 8 months, and 11 days since that fight.

Meldrick Taylor's boxing style was characterized by aggressive combinations and strong defense. He was considered one of the best boxers in his time, with amazing speed and excellent footwork. His nickname "TNT" was given to him because of his explosive punches and "The Kid" after winning a gold medal in the Olympics at such a young age. His technique made him a formidable opponent and a hard one to beat.

Although Taylor's career suffered after his loss to Chavez, he remains one of the most legendary boxers of his time. Despite his retirement from boxing, Meldrick Taylor will always be remembered as one of the greats who made an impact in the sport of boxing.

Meldrick Taylor Fight Record