Shannon Taylor: The Blaster Is Back!
By Tony Nobbs
07.04 - WBA number ten and PABA Super Welterweight Champion Shannan Taylor (31-3-2, 23 KO) promises to be back to the style that saw him blast his way to the mandatory spot in the WBC Welterweight rankings in 2000 when he is re-matched with defending Champion Marc Bargero (32-10-3, 8 KO) for the Australian Super Middleweight Title on a Foxsport Fight Night promoted by Jeff Fenech at the Penrith Leagues Club in West Sydney on Friday. The first meeting between the two ended in an unsatisfactory non - televised six round technical draw on February 21 at the same venue. Both boxers were warned for rough - house tactics throughout and a point deduction in round four cost Taylor of a points victory he and many others felt he deserved.
To add to the hurt of not securing his second Australian Title, it was a nasty cut to Taylor's scalp that forced the contest to go to the cards and after the spit draw was announced he had some choice words for the ringside officials and he enters this clash under a suspended six month sentence from the NSW Boxing Authority for what the 30 year old fighter called a "dummy spit".
Taylor will also be "back in black" on Friday night. After wearing white shorts, with an embroided scripture from The Book of Isaiah as a sign of the peace he had found in God in his last three fights, Taylor will be bringing the trademark black shorts out of the draw in a sign that "The Blaster is Back!".
"I've been trying to be a good boy too much. Out of the ring, I'm a good Christian but in the ring I'm not. Not anymore, no more Mr Nice. I'm back to the way I was before, I'm focused and ready to go to war" said Taylor yesterday.
"Last time I fought Bargero I just boxed along to do the rounds, this time I'm into it straight from the start. Throwing Hydro Bombs. The first punch in the first round, it's on. It's war. I'm not Sugar Ray Leonard. I'm Mike Tyson. I will fight with in the rules but I'm in there to destroy. I'll be throwing Hydro Bombs at his arms, his body, his head". Taylor continued that he has had "great" sparring for the scheduled twelve rounder and that he and his team are fully prepared. "I've been sparring Australian Cruiserweight Champion Lawrence Tuasa and Joel Burke. My whole team is ready,but most importantly, the number one man in the team, Shannan Taylor is ready. I want you to mention that I have a very special person in my team. A gentleman by the name of John Dorahy who played for (Sydney) Wests and represented Australia in Rugby League. He has been a tremendous help to me, showing me how to relax and keep my energy for the fight. He will be in the dressing room before my fight. Last fight I was a bit tense, the fight did not start until late, about quarter past eleven when I got in the ring. I was trying to be nice and clean because I knew I could beat Bargero any way I wanted. I'm under the weight right now, I want to get in the ring a kilo under the weight. I've boxed Marc Bargero for years when I was five or six kilo lighter than him. This time I will feel comfortable and do the best thing for Shannan Taylor. In the dressing room, I'll be skipping, shadow boxing, sweating, ready to go from the bell".
Bargero's trainer Angelo Hyder, who doubles as matchmaker for Team Fenech, said last night that the promotion will be a great show and that he and Bargero, 34, are confident of going one better this time around. "It should be a rough and tough fight. We are ready for it, hopefully Marc can put things together. I thought the last fight was very close, maybe Marc might have just been ahead. This time, we have been working hard in the gym and are ready for all these tricks Shannan has been promising".
Taylor entered the ANBF Super Middleweight ratings at number four in March, behind Anthony Mundine, Danny Green and Ricky Thornberry. After coming home from a game of Chess with John Dorohy yesterday, the Bill Corbett trained "Blaster" who won the Australian 140 lb Title in his third professional fight in 1993, finished by adding "I did win the last fight. Every round, everyone who has seen the tape knows I won it. This time I'll make sure. I just can't spit the dummy".
The Fenech Fight Night is scheduled to begin Live at 7.30 pm on Friday night on Foxsport 2. Bargero-Taylor starts off what promises to be an exciting weekend for Australian fight fans with the Inaugural Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at the Crown Casino in Melbourne on Saturday night and the Paul Briggs - Jorge Castro PPV on the Gold Coast on Sunday Afternoon. Meanwhile, three time Australian Champion Nathan Sting's crack at Johnny Armour's WBU Bantamweight Title, originally scheduled for Saturday night in London has been postponed to a date in May TBA.
