16.08.05 – By Scoop Malinowski / Boxinginsider.com – “…the first chance they got to get him, they got him.” — Bouie Fisher, the long-time guide of all-time great Middleweight king Bernard Hopkins spoke with Boxinginsider.com about his man’s controversial “loss” to Jermain Taylor. While always classy in victory or defeat, Fisher firmly believes his man did enough to score the hard-fought victory.. “I think he won the fight. It was close,” said Fisher via telephone on Sunday night. “I thought he won. I don’t know what you believe, I thought he won. Who do you think won the fight?”
When I agreed, saying Hopkins looked slightly superior to Taylor and narrowly pulled out the win, Fisher added, “The champion normally gets the benefit of the doubt. But being Bernard Hopkins – everyone’s been after him for so long – he only had one loss and one draw in all those fights – he’s been in the headlines for 14 years – good and bad – the first chance they got to get him, they got him.”
When questioned if he was in any way surprised at how the fight developed, Fisher responded, “A little here and there. When a guy puts a lot of pressure on like Taylor did, and there’s a lot of personal stuff involved, it may have affected Bernard in starting the fight. Had he gone out there and fought his fight from the beginning, he would have won, no doubt. When Bernard got serious to pull it out, he dominated. I thought he won the last four rounds.”
Then Fisher asked me a question, The judge who gave Taylor the last round, what do you think of that? We both laughed at that one. Some things are better left unsaid.
Regarding if anything about how Taylor performed on July 18 surprised him, Fisher admitted something did. “Only that he showed me – being a young, inexperienced fighter – he showed enough courage to win. He hung in there. Kept his composure together. The judges thought he won. Fight people don’t think he won – real fight people. He had enough guts to hang in there. The judges rewarded him for his courage.
You can’t reverse the decision or argue the decision. I’ve seen worse decisions than that. They’re not gonna change it now. If the rematch does happen – it seems to be a question – I think you’ll see Bernard fight the fight he’s capable of fighting.
With all due respect to Jermain Taylor, if he keeps the same mindset he has now, if they put him in the right fights, he could be a good champion. He’s a kid (with) only 25, 26 fights. With all due respect, I hope he is the next undisputed middleweight champion for 25 title defenses. We’ll see what happens.”
I then asked Fisher how Bernard was now about the loss, if he was okay with it by now. “He’s not okay with it, that he lost,” Fisher replied. “It was a questionable loss. How could the guy (Duane Ford) give Taylor the last round? That played a part in the decision.”
At the age of 40, and about five months from 41 – the age he promised his now-deceased mom he’d retire from the ring, Hopkins may have one fight left. Fisher said he wasn’t sure what The Executioner’s final plans are. “I really don’t know. I haven’t discussed anything with him in that regard. I don’t know. Just play it by ear and see what happens.”
When I suggested that the Taylor camp may delay the rematch as long as they can, that Hopkins might never fight again, Fisher did not completely disagree. “He might not. I can’t really say. But I think he’ll take a few months off, rest, think about what he’s gonna do. He’s never been beat up or hurt by any means.”
As for how he would like to see the incomparable career of Hopkins reach it’s final chapter, Fisher has one vision. “The only fight I’d like to see is a rematch with Taylor. I’d like to see Bernard fight the rematch then that’s it.”
Right now the rematch is tentatively being discussed for early December.