Taylor vs Hopkins 2: Jermain Taylor Conference Call Transcript

23.11.05 – NORMAN HORTON: Good afternoon. This is Norman Horton. First I would like to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. On the call we have the undisputed middleweight champion of the world Jermain Taylor. We have his promoter, President of DiBella Entertainment, Lou DiBella. At this time Lou will give an opening statement and we will be ready for questions for Jermain.

LOU DEBELLA, PRESIDENT, DEBELLA ENTERTAINMENT: Hi guys and again happy Thanksgiving. Ozell Nelson is also on the line with us, Jermain’s long-time coach. Jermain is the undisputed middleweight champion and the best young American fighter fighting today and on December 3rd he is going to (INAUDIBLE) and prove that he is the indisputable middleweight champion.

NORMAN HORTON: We will take the first question Sandra.

OPERATOR: Thank you, once again ladies and gentlemen that is star one on your touch-tone phone to ask a question. Your first question is coming from Chuck Johnson of USA Today.

CHUCK JOHNSON, USA TODAY: How are you doing today Jermain?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I am doing great. How are you doing sir?

CHUCK JOHNSON: All right. I just wanted to ask you. I mean being the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. How has your life changed since you won that title?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: It has actually changed a lot. I am starting to get a lot more things free you know. Wherever I go, I don’t have to pay for my meals any more. You know, I guess they don’t think I got no money. I mean everybody has been so good to me man. Everything has been perfect. I love it. I am not ready to give my championship up. I want to hold onto it for a long time. That is exactly what I am going to do.

CHUCK JOHNSON: As far as training, the last time I spoke with you, you had just moved from Miami back to Little Rock so has the things turned back to normal in your training?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Everything is back to normal. I am actually trying to (INAUDIBLE). as we speak but everything is normal. I have my own camp here. It has been a great camp so far. I am looking forward to going to Vegas.

CHUCK JOHNSON: You said it has been a great camp. But you have always trained in Florida. Any difference in Memphis this training camp compared with the other ones?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: No sir. It is a lot cooler weather. That is about it. But I am use to it you know. Everything is good.

CHUCK JOHNSON: As far as your mind set Jermain, is there any nervousness. How would you describe your mindset going into this fight?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I got the mindset of no respect. I feel like that he disrespecting me to the utmost if disrespect. I am just sick of it now. You know he puts no fear in my heart. I don’t respect him not a bit and I am looking forward to a knock out.

CHUCK JOHNSON: So would you say that is a different feeling that you had going into that first fight?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: It is a lot different. I feel like I am a different fighter altogether. Those last, in the few rounds that he did win he taught me something. You know ain’t nobody perfect. Up until that point I had never lost a round in boxing. And I just felt like I learned a lot.

CHUCK JOHNSON: I appreciate it Jermain.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Ok, you take care.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Once again ladies and gentlemen that is star one on your touch-tone phone to ask a question. Your next question is coming from Kevin Iole of Las Vegas Review.

KEVIN IOLE, LAS VEGAS REVIEW: Hi Jermain. How are you?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I am doing great. How are you doing?

KEVIN IOLE: Good thanks. I wonder what you done in training camp to improve your defense. Especially you know it seemed like Bernard in the second half of the fight was able to hit you with a lot of right hands. What do you do to try to counter that and not get hit with so many clean shots like you did last time?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Ok, a lot more keeping my hands up and just a lot more relaxed in the ring and you know I been working on slipping punches a lot more. I just feel like you know he can’t touch me this time and in the first fight I felt like I over came a lot. And especially in those last rounds but I still always came back.

KEVIN IOLE: When you look at the tape was there anything other than you know your lack of you know showing him too much respect that you feel like you can change and be better this time?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: A lot more patience in the ring. You know I was over anxious. You know all my punches were combinations and if I throw the right hand I always come back with the left hand. You know.

KEVIN IOLE: And one last question Jermain. Obviously that was a very, very bad cut you received from the head but. What impact, “A” did it have on you in that fight and “B” is it a concern that because that is in a sensitive area that it could open up again on Saturday night?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I am not worried about it opening up but if it does you know I have show that I work through anything. You know I am not worried about it.

LOU DEBELLA: (INAUDIBLE) just say that we found our yesterday that (INAUDIBLE) referee again and we think he is a great ref. But Bernard he fought a pretty dirty fight and there were a lot of head buts in that fight and a lot (INAUDIBLE) sensitive (INAUDIBLE).

KEVIN IOLE: Thank you guys.

OPERATOR: Thank you, your next question is coming from Bernard Fernandez of Philadelphia Daily News.

BERNARD FERNANDEZ, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS: I would like to direct the first question to Lou. Obviously you know that Bernard and (INAUDIBLE) have had another split. Bernard is saying that it is because of (INAUDIBLE) told me it was a money thing again. But Bernard not having (INAUDIBLE) Fisher in his corner, I mean this has happened before but what effect do you think that has on you know on the fight and (INAUDIBLE)?

LOU DEBELLA: Well I think it is going (INAUDIBLE) on Jermain Taylor and how he views his opponent. But I think that Bernard is used to seeing not only (INAUDIBLE) Fisher but the Fisher (INAUDIBLE) behind him and honestly I don’t think he can help (INAUDIBLE), But you know the guy is a professional. He has been doing it for a long, long time and (INAUDIBLE) is handling this the same way we would handle it you know with (INAUDIBLE) in the corner. Well you know what, does it really surprise anyone that he screwed Louie Fisher? Come on he screwed everyone he works with.

BERNARD FERNANDEZ: Ok, for Jermain you said what you think or what you will do different or how you came from the last fight up. Do you think there is anything that he can do differently that would be a surprise to you?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I think he (INAUDIBLE) game last time. I don’t think there is anything that he could do different. He’s training in a different place but, you know, I guess he thought he wasn’t in good enough shape last time, you know.

I think that he threw – he did everything he could to win that last. I don’t see him – if he starts early then he’ll go to sleep early, you know. I just don’t think there’s nothing he can do.

UNKNOWN MALE: One other thing, too, and the thing about the respect that, you know, you two guys showed each other in the ring and who started fast and who came on later – but it was a very close decision.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

UNKNOWN MALE: Both of you guys are saying that, you know, you feel a need to make it more emphatic and basically, you know, to remove any element of controversy. What do you think that does for the fight and that, you know, you both feel like you have to put an exclamation point on it?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: It does a lot for boxing. I mean all the boxing fan want to see a fight. You know I don’t think they’ll be paying any money to see two fighters go in there and they don’t – they don’t start fighting until the six-seven round, you know. A boxing fan wants to see a fight and that’s exactly what I’m going to give them. I’m going to fight every round. From the first round to the last round I’m going to fight.

UNKNOWN MALE: All right, thank you.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Robert Morales of Los Angeles Daily News.

ROBERT MORALES, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: Hello, gentlemen, how you guys doing today?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Pretty good.

LOU DIBELLA: Hey, Robert.

ROBERT MORALES: Hey, Lou, actually this is – this question is for you, just a quick follow-up on the Bernard and Bowie Fisher (ph) thing if I may. You know the other day a big bear he looked several of us in the eye and said, “I challenge any of you to reach out to the Fishers (ph) and have them say anything other than what I’m telling you now which was that Bowie (ph) was sick and that was the only reason that he wasn’t up there.” That I quote, “the altitude could kill him if he comes up here.”

And now, of course, in Bernard’s column this morning we see that Bowie (ph) is saying a completely different thing. I did try to reach out to Bowie (ph) but I couldn’t get anybody to give me his phone number.

Does this surprise you that it seems …

LOU DIBELLA: Robert …

ROBERT MORALES: Again, I haven’t talked to Bernard since that day, that was last Thursday.

LOU DIBELLA: Robert, (INAUDIBLE) my transcripts to my trial with him, Robert. That’s all you have to do, man, go read the transcripts to my trial. He’s not, you know – this is not a guy known for his truthfulness and a jury of his peers called him a liar.

ROBERT MORALES: All right, thanks, Lou, I appreciate it.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Our next question is coming from Santos Perez of the Miami Herald.

SANTOS PEREZ, MIAMI HERALD: Hey, Bernard – (INAUDIBLE), Jermain, how you doing?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Hang up on him please.

Say, I’m just kidding. OK.

LOU DIBELLA: You want me to take him out, Jermain?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: No, no, he’s cool – he’s cool.

LOU DIBELLA: I was just kidding you.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: (INAUDIBLE).

SANTOS PEREZ: Jermain, the fact you’re not training in Miami for the first time, how has that effected everything, the hurricane also? And will you be coming back down this way for future fights?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Tell the truth they haven’t changed a bit. You know I’m loving Memphis. Memphis is treating me good. I train hard. I feel like I’m in the best shape I’m ever. You know I’m just looking forward to the fight.

SANTOS PEREZ: (INAUDIBLE).

JERMAIN TAYLOR: And I’ll fight with whoever whenever and I don’t care where the place is.

SANTOS PEREZ: Right. How effective – how important again will be the jab beginning of the fight. Everybody’s talking about, you know, an aggressive fight at the beginning possibility. But how important again will be for you to set up your offense with a jab again in the rematch?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Oh, it’s going to be very important. I believe that if I were to stuck with my jab more, you know, I’d a made the fight a lot more easier.

You know I kind of abandoned it, you know, in those later rounds and that allowed him to get closer to me. But I’m going to keep my distance this time.

SANTOS PEREZ: Again, no plans after this fight where you’re going to maybe set up training camp?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: No, sir, not yet.

SANTOS PEREZ: Great. Thanks, Jermain.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, that’s star-one on your touch-tone phone to ask a question.

Your next question is coming from Chris Givens of the Arkansas Democratic.

CHRIS GIVENS, ARKANSAS DEMOCRATIC: Hey, Jermain. Hey, Lou.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Hey, Chris, what’s going on?

CHRIS GIVENS: Not much.

LOU DIBELLA: Hey, Chris.

CHRIS GIVENS: First I have a question for Lou and then for Jermain.

Lou, everyone is aware of how emotionally invested you were in the last fight, the first time one of your fighters had faced Bernard since the lawsuit. I’m curious to know your state of mind heading into this rematch now that your fighter is a champion. Is it the same level of emotion for you fighting Bernard and do you have the same animosity?

LOU DIBELLA: You know I – my point got proven in court and then Jermain proved his point in the ring. This is about Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins. So to be honest like I think the focus of this fight is very different. It’s all about in that ring. And I’m walking into – I’m going to Vegas a lot more confident knowing I have a real champion who himself is a lot more confident.

And you know, I don’t have – I don’t have the jitters or the nerves or the same emotion I had the first time. I’m going to land in Vegas with the undisputed champ and I’m going to leave Vegas with the undisputed champ.

CHRIS GIVENS: All right, thank you.

And, Jermain, you’re now less than a week away from breaking camp in Memphis and heading to Vegas. I want to know first if you could tell me what are your plan for this last week as you ramp – wrap up camp in Memphis.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m already on weight. I just plan on maintaining weight and just, you know, just staying relaxed getting ready.

CHRIS GIVENS: Is this a – is it less stress this time around breaking camp and heading – are you less nervous going to Vegas?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m still nervous but I’ll say I’m a lot less nervous than I was, you know, the first time going around. Now it’s a different kind of nervous anyway this kind of nerve. I want to go in here and I want to look good. I want to – I want to make sure all my punches land. I want to make sure every combination I throw hits him, you know.

CHRIS GIVENS: And now you’ve already been through the – you know, the bright lights of a big world title fight once in Vegas. Going back – when you arrive in Memphis are you going to be doing anything differently this time around?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: In Vegas (INAUDIBLE) …

CHRIS GIVENS: When you – when you – when you land in Vegas on Sunday and kind of get going is anything going to be different for you as far as your daily routine or anything that you did last time?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Oh, no. I mean everything be pretty much the same, you know.

CHRIS GIVENS: OK. All right, thank you.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you, Chris.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Tris Dixon of Boxing News.

TRIS DIXON, BOXING NEWS: Hi, Jermain, how you doing?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m doing good, how you doing?

TRIS DIXON: Good, yes, fine thanks. Just wondering, Bernard’s (INAUDIBLE), his kind of legacy set in stone. I don’t think it will make too much difference whether he wins or looses this fight. What kind of legacy do you hope to leave?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I hope to leave a legacy where, you know, Jermain Taylor he always – he always stuck beside his team. He started with is team and he finished with his team. And he was always a good guy who, you know, if he said something then you could take it with you whatever.

TRIS DIXON: OK. Would you care to make a prediction for the fight?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Just predict me to – if I don’t knock Bernard out I’m going to win every round. I’m not losing (INAUDIBLE).

TRIS DIXON: OK, that’s great. Thank you very much.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from William Trillo of Boxing2005.com.

WILLIAM TRILLO, BOXING 2005.COM: Good afternoon, Jermain. Hope all is well and it’s really a pleasure to talk to you. Thanks for giving me some time.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you so much.

WILLIAM TRILLO: You said on numerous occasions that you learned a lot in the – in the last fight with Bernard and obviously that goes without saying at this point. My question to you is of all the things you learned what is the most important lesson you learned from the last fight that you’re going to carry into this fight?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Don’t ever get lazy in the ring. I mean even if Bernard he ain’t doing nothing, you know, he plotting on something, you know. And I feel like as soon as I got lazy I got head butted.

WILLIAM TRILLO: OK. So what you’re telling me then is there’s going to be no time to take a round off, there’s going to be no time to maybe take a break in a round.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Right.

WILLIAM TRILLO: You’re going to have to keep going the whole time.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Exactly, sir, as best as I (INAUDIBLE) I mean because I’ll be – if you take a rest I mean anything could happen. I’m going to have to work every round and now I know that.

WILLIAM TRILLO: Well, Bernard has said on more than one occasion also during this time before the fight that he felt that he hurt you. He felt that when he hurt you that it forced you to spin around or turn around and that this time that if that does happen he’s going to break the rules and whack you in the back of the head. How do you – how do you retort to a comment like that?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’d just say if I do that I give him permission to whack me in the back of the head.

WILLIAM TRILLO: Fair enough man, that’s a good honest answer.

All right, well listen, I am looking forward to a good fight. I know you to be a man of your word …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you, sir.

WILLIAM TRILLO: … and know you’ve been working hard. We just – we just look forward to a great fight on that day, Jermain. If anything that you can assure us in regards to a victory of – you’re talking about a knockout. Do you feel that’s coming?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I feel great about a knockout. I feel like Bernard has no power, he has no speed. He’s just looking for a way out. And I’m going to give it to him.

WILLIAM TRILLO: I think it’s great that Mr. DiBella is stepping back and letting this fight be about you and Bernard and I’m really looking forward to seeing you guys.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Well, thank you so much.

WILLIAM TRILLO: Thank you so much.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Matt Richardson of FightNews.com.

MATT RICHARDSON, FIGHTING NEWS.COM: Hey, Jermain, how you doing?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m doing good, how you doing?

MATT RICHARDSON: Good. Just I wanted to ask you what you expect from Hopkins this time. Conventional wisdom says he’ll start earlier, be more aggressive. Do you think he can improve at 40 years old at this point?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I just feel like that he can’t – he can’t start no different than he always start. He waits and waits and waits, you know, he tries to, you know, just see if the other fighter going to tire – going to tire out and then he tries to come on strong in later rounds. He’s fought like this (INAUDIBLE).

MATT RICHARDSON: Are you doing any of the counter setback at this point or I mean do you – have you done also anything in camp to improve your stamina because as the fight progressed last time you had some problems as it went on and everyone conceivably thought you last few rounds. Have you done anything to change that and improve as the fight goes on?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir. I’ve just been working every round. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life, you know. I’m not going to let him win a round this time.

MATT RICHARDSON: Thank you, Jermain, good luck.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, that is star-one on your touch-tone phone to ask a question.

Your next question is coming from Randy Roberts of Secondsout.com.

RANDY ROBERTS, SECONDSOUT.COM: Hey, Jermain.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: How you doing, Randy?

RANDY ROBERTS: Good luck to you this week …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you very much.

RANDY ROBERTS: … during the fight.

You know I was wondering, you know, you and Bernard are two of the most talented fighters in boxing and we kind of know the difference in talent. But sometimes a match comes down to character. How would you assess your character compared to Bernard Hopkins? What character strengths will you carry with you into the fight that will help you, you know, win those last rounds?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m going to win by always working hard. I’m not going to take off a round, you know. I’m not going to say, OK, I’m going to wait, I’m going to wait, I’m going to wait, I’m going to wait, I’m going to wait, you know. As soon as that bell ring I come to fight, you know, and I come to give the fans their money worth.

You know I’m (INAUDIBLE) fight going there and just, you know, if the crowd’s booing, you know, I’m still ain’t doing it. I’m going to work all the – all the rounds. I love to have my fans come out and say man, I love the way you fought this fight.

RANDY ROBERTS: You know we can always hear your fans at a fight. How much strength do you get from those fans?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: A lot, a lot. I mean they’re out there calling the hogs and, you know, it just – it’s amazing how much a fan could push a fighter, especially in those later rounds.

RANDY ROBERTS: So you hear it when you’re in there?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir, you hear the boos, you hear the ahs, you hear everything.

RANDY ROBERTS: OK, well, good luck.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you so much, sir.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Frank Loretzo (ph) of FightBeat.com.

FRANK LORETZO (ph), FIGHTBEAT.COM: Jermain?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): How you doing? Good luck in the fight.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): Two things, first time out you said that you didn’t think Bernard could hurt you. It looked like he hurt you twice during the fight.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): How’s that play this time because he feels – because I’ve heard him say that he feels – he knows he can hurt you and that you know he can hurt you. Well how do you – what do you do with that as far as mentally compartmentalize that going into this fight because he’s going to be more confident too that he can do that and take it from there?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Well, first of all, I feel like that he can’t hurt me, you know. And if he could he would have did it, you know. If he could knock me out he would have knocked me out that night. You know, he didn’t, he couldn’t. He tried everything – he gave me everything he could and I still wouldn’t go.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): Well, you prevented him from knocking you out …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): … by fighting back which …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, you know …

FRANK LORETZO (ph): … is something to you.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: And that should tell you that, you know, I wasn’t hurt because I was – every time he would come on I would always come back with something.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): OK.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: You know.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): One other question – I didn’t mean to cut you off. You said on the HBO Countdown you said that you had to re-win the middleweight title belt. Can you tell me what you meant by that? I think I know – I know what you meant and I actually think that that will probably even make you more determined this time, but could you say what you meant by that that you had to – you figure you have to re-win it this time?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I just feel like, you know, to all of my fans and even to Hopkins’ fans, you know, Hopkins held those belts for the last time – or for a long time. And, you know, it was a close fight, you know, I’ll be honest about it. You know it was very close so I feel like that I have to go in here and prove not only to my fans but to Hopkins’ fans that I am the true middleweight champion of the world.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): And …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Because I mean I’ve got plans, too, you know, and everybody talk, you know, Mainly – I loved it when you won that fight but, you know, it was just a little bit too close, man. You know and I understand it. I don’t blame people, you know, because I watched the fight myself and it was a close fight. But I, you know, I felt I clearly won the fight. But, you know, at the same time there’s a couple of Hopkins’ fans out there that said, you know, that it was too close for comfort.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): I’ll tell you what, Jermain, I had him winning by a point but a change of one round and you won the fight. It goes either way, it was a close fight.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Well, thank you so much for being (INAUDIBLE).

FRANK LORETZO (ph): One other thing, as far as like before a big fight like when you fought Hopkins the first time, you had – you know, here’s a guy that set the record from (INAUDIBLE). You know he’s good. Regardless of his age, he’s one of only three guys that have won championship fights past their 40th birthday.

You run the fight by in your head and you imagine it 10 times tougher than it probably could ever be because you make the man a monster so you don’t look past him and you get the best out of yourself.

My question is, what was it – once you were in there with him what was it – what about him surprised you more that he was more than you thought than maybe he was before the fight and what about him made you think that, you know what, it wasn’t everything I rigged (ph) before the fight? Am I making that clear?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): In other words, your fighting the legend Bernard Hopkins, number – (INAUDIBLE) number one put up defenses only …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): … you know, the third leg in the middleweight (INAUDIBLE) since Monzone and Hagler. So having never fought him …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): … you don’t – you don’t know what to expect. You can watch a tape but you still can’t feel him.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Exactly, I understand what you’re saying.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): What – I mean did he hit harder than you thought, not as …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: No.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): … hard, was he tougher, stronger?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I thought that he was starting to fight a little early in the fight, you know, but he didn’t. I thought he was stronger than he was, but he’s not.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): (INAUDIBLE)

JERMAIN TAYLOR: But in those later rounds then he did surprise me when he came on strong as he did, you know, I was surprised by that.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): OK. But basically that was it. Not so much pretty much what you expected?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I think he was pretty much what I expected. I mean he’s a dirty fighter and I didn’t know he was that dirty but, you know, I’ve learned different.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): You just opened up one more thing. Can I ask you one more question?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): You said he’s a dirty fighter. We know he knows every trick in the book.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir, he does.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): Don’t you think at this time that he’s probably going to be even a little bit more cagey in that regard?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: What (INAUDIBLE) …

FRANK LORETZO (ph): In other words like Rebosa Rand (ph) – Danny Moore(ph).

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I think he will be dirty but you know I’m prepared for anything in this fight. You know I’m not going to stoop to his level but I’m not going to be no pushover either.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): Jermain, you’re not a pushover and you know what, if you win be a good champ because I think you’ve got the makings to be a really good champ.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Well, I thank you so much, sir.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): Best of luck to you.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

FRANK LORETZO (ph): See you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question comes from Eddie Goldman of Bodyguard Magazine.

EDDIE GOLDMAN, BODYGUARD MAGAZINE: Jermain, how you doing today?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m doing great. How about yourself?

EDDIE GOLDMAN: Very good. Let me ask you, as this fight will start when they’re doing the announcements and they’re getting ready to ring the bell what will you be thinking differently from the first fight when before you two guys had met each other in the right? Will there be much of a difference in how you’re approaching this?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: There will be. I mean this fight, you know, I’ll be a lot more relaxed but I’ll be a lot more accurate with my punches, you know. I’m not going to be so overanxious. (INAUDIBLE) I’m the champ now, you know. He’s got something to prove. You know he’s got, you know, all this stuff in his head, you know, because I beat him before. All the belts are in my corner now.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: Do you think the fact that you went 12 rounds with him – because before that there was a question, you know, what was going to happen in the fight and nobody knew. Everyone …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: … had opinions on it. Now you went the distance with him, you got the decision, you weren’t knocked down, you weren’t really hurt badly or anything like that. How does that play for you coming in this time especially early in the fight where people are going to look for a pattern?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: You know, everybody (INAUDIBLE) me in the fight, I’ve noticed that. You know I’m a go-getter, you know, I’m a diehard fighter. I don’t care what I get hit with. I’m the type of fighter I always overcome anything. You know so he’s (INAUDIBLE) I’m all for it.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: OK. Do you have any prediction in terms of this fight? In other words, do you expect it to go the full 12 rounds this time?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m going to just say if it does go 12 rounds I’m going to win every round. And if it doesn’t then I’ll be raising my hand because I won by knockout.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: The latter rounds where he started to pick up and win some rounds in the latter part of the fight, did you adjust your training for those rounds because I know it wasn’t simply conditioning or how did you adjust your training for that?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I just – you know, a lot in those later rounds had to do with because I was so anxious and I was throwing a lot of punches and, you know, and missing in the earlier rounds. But, you know, I’ve just settled down and throw my punches with a lot more accuracy on them.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: Do you take it one round at a time because he was criticized in his game plan for waiting too long whether it was by plan or whether he just couldn’t do it in mounting an offensive and becoming the aggressor. Do you expect him to try to come out earlier in the fight to be an aggressor?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I don’t – I don’t really know how he’s going to come out but no I don’t really care. If he comes out – if he comes out fast I think I’ll get a knockout, you know, and if he comes out like he did last time, you know, I’ll definitely win every round.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: One thing that I’ve noticed is that you’re 27 now, you’ve been a pro from I guess about five years now, and I just noticed a maturity in the way you’re dealing with the media and everything from the beginning when you started out, you know, just coming out of the Olympics in the amateur rank. How has that affected things because you told all these reporters, you’re getting parades in Little Rock, you have an HBO pre-fight special pay-per-views and all this. Do you take this more in stride today?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I do. I just take it all as it come, you know. But now, you know, ain’t nothing new to me. Maybe everything’s pretty much the same, you know. I’m just taking it in strides like you said.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: OK, great. Good luck in the fight.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you so much.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question comes from Michael Katz (ph) of MatchingBox.com (ph).

Michael Katz (ph), your line if live.

Thank you. Your next question comes from Mark Abrams of 15rounds.com.

MARK ABRAMS, 15ROUNDS.COM: Hey, Jermain, how you doing?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I’m doing great. How you doing?

MARK ABRAMS: Thank you. Couple questions, first question is how do you feel now 10 days out before the fight as opposed to 10 days out from the first fight?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I feel more relaxed, you know. I’m getting a lot more sleep, you know. It just now, you know, it’s totally different because I’m ready. I know what – I know what to expect when I get in the ring. I know exactly who I’m fighting and I’m just looking forward to getting in that ring.

MARK ABRAMS: And second question is, you know, your childhood’s, you know, is very well documented about growing up in Little Rock. Did you ever imagine, you know, the success that you’ve had fighting for the undisputed and being the undisputed middleweight champion of the world?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Always imagine it, yes sir, I always ever since I was a kid, you know, when I first started boxing. I might – I don’t know what I was imaging but, you know, I would always say it and write it, you know, I am the middleweight champion of the world, you know. I’ve always imagined it and now it’s come to past.

MARK ABRAMS: Thanks and good luck.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, that’s star-one on your touch-tone phone to ask a question.

Your next question is coming from Kevin Iole of Las Vegas Review.

KEVIN IOLE, LAS VEGAS REVIEW: Jermain, very quickly, do you believe you won the 12th round of the first fight?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: I feel like in the 12th round I did win, you know. I gave it all I had in that 12th round. You know I feel like those other rounds, you know, I overcame a lot especially in the later part of the – of the fight. But in that 12th round I gave it all I had, all I had.

LOU DIBELLA: Kevin, it’s Lou. Let me ask you one question. Do you think – do you think that Hopkins won the fourth round?

KEVIN IOLE: I think Hopkins won the 12th round.

LOU DIBELLA: Well, but, you know, there was a judge that gave that fourth round to Hopkins. If you watched the fourth round there was no way (INAUDIBLE).

KEVIN IOLE: I don’t remember the fourth round specifically, Lou, right now but I know the 12th round I do remember.

LOU DIBELLA: Yes, but I’m telling you that – my only point I’m making is that it adjusted and there were other rounds that were poorly, you know, scored.

KEVIN IOLE: Does –Jermain, when you have, you know, a close fight like that and you go out for the 12th round, I mean, if the same scenario presents itself do you have to fight a little bit differently in the 12th than you do in the first 11 rounds knowing that the whole fight might ride on the outcome of that particular round?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir, you do. I mean everything is on the line in that 12th round. I mean especially if he warms up at that point. And I thought probably at that point, you know, this is everything and I gave it all I had.

KEVIN IOLE: Great, thank you.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Thank you.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Chris Givens of the Arkansas Democrat.

CHRIS GIVENS: Hey, Jermain, one thing I wanted to follow up on that you had mentioned, you said that you’re on weight right now as you’re breaking camp. I know last fight, you know, you had to do some work to get to weight. Is it a – is it kind of a weight – no pun intended – but some weight off your shoulders having the fact that you’re already there right now and you can just kind of relax before the fight and not worry about sweating it out?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: It is. I’m doing a lot of things just at this time, you know, I have a personal chef so I’m eating right everyday. And, you know, it’s just a lot better knowing that, you know, I’m already on weight so I ain’t got to worry about nothing when I get to Vegas.

CHRIS GIVENS: Are you doing a lot more worrying about kind of tactics and controlling the fight …

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

CHRIS GIVENS: … than worrying about conditioning.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

CHRIS GIVENS: And are you – are you coming home for Thanksgiving?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: No, sir, I’m not.

CHRIS GIVENS: You’re going to stay in Memphis and work?

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Yes, sir.

CHRIS GIVENS: OK. All right, thank you. I’ll see you in Vegas.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: All right.

OPERATOR: Thank you. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, that’s star-one on your touch-tone phone to ask a question.

There appears to be no more questions at this time.

LOU DIBELLA: Well, I’d like to thank you all for being with us. Have a happy Thanksgiving and we’ll see you in Las Vegas.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Happy Thanksgiving, you all.

NORMAN HORTON: I’d like to say to all the writers if they could just hold for about one minute. As you know, Bernard Hopkins will be coming on and Kelly Swanson (ph) has something to say. So don’t hang the phone up just yet.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: Are you talking to me, Norman?

NORMAN HORTON: No, not to you, Jermain.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: OK. Now you take care, babe.

NORMAN HORTON: OK.

JERMAIN TAYLOR: OK.

NORMAN HORTON: Sandra?

OPERATOR: Yes, I’m here.

NORMAN HORTON: Oh, OK. I wanted everyone to hold on. OK.

OPERATOR: Yes, everyone’s still connected.

NORMAN HORTON: She’s calling in now.

OPERATOR: Kelly Swanson (ph) is on the call.

NORMAN HORTON: Kelly (ph)?

KELLY SWANSON (ph): Hello. Hi, everybody.

NORMAN HORTON: Yes.

KELLY SWANSON (ph): Did – Norm, are you there?

NORMAN HORTON: Yes, Kelly (ph), waiting on you.

KELLY SWANSON (ph): OK.

NORMAN HORTON: You have the floor.

KELLY SWANSON (ph): Thank you, thank you very much.

Welcome, everybody, or actually welcome to myself because I know you all have been on the phone already. It is 20 minutes to three and I don’t think I’ll be able to get Bernard on the phone right away. So I would like it and we apologize because we know one of the reasons to use the same phone number was so that hopefully these conference calls would extend into each other.

But I am trying to locate him now so that we can start a little early but I would hate to tell you that we’re not going to start early and then we start early and people miss it. So I’d like to make an executive decision right now and ask that if you would be so kind as to call back at 3:00 and we will continue this conference call. I think that’s the only way I can do it at this time. OK.

So, operator, if anybody has a question before I hang up – otherwise if no one has a question and everybody understands if you could kindly call back the same number that you called in for the Taylor conference call at 3:00 that would be great. And I will hold for one minute before – to see if anyone has a question.

OPERATOR: Once again, ladies and gentlemen, that’s star-one on your touch-tone phone if you have a question.

KELLY SWANSON (ph): Question – OK, you guys, so we will talk to you at 3:00. Please call in and I will have Bernard ready at that time. Thanks so much. Bye-bye.

Operator, I’ll call you back.