13.12.06 – PHILADELPHIA – By Mike Cassell: Kassim “The Dream” Ouma 28-3 -1 (15 KO’s), came into the Alltel Arena with more than just his championship aspirations. He was carrying the load of the warring Ugandan nation. He was carrying the death of his father, at the hands of the Ugandan militia, retaliation for Ouma leaving the country.
Bringing a new meaning, to “lucky number seven”, Ouma was the seventh child of thirteen, with seven brothers and five sisters. Only four brothers remain. As he stepped through the ropes, he was not alone, or even afraid. It was as if he had the spirits of his family were firmly behind him. They came in together, and no matter what the cost, they would not go down on this night. It was supposed to be an early knockout for Taylor; it quickly progressed into a 12 round toe-to-toe, battle of wills, with blood, guts and all those things, that make a great story. Jermain Taylor did not get to play the villain to Ouma’s leading role of hero. Life had taken that role for Ouma by age six, when he was kidnapped and forced into the Ugandan National Resistance Army.
Jermain Taylor 25-0- 1 (17KO’s), had everything in his favor. The first and most important thing was, he was walking into the ring with the undisputed Middleweight Championship. He was in his backyard, and he is one of the most “liked” Middleweights in the past ten years. He had the height, 6’1” over Ouma’s 5’8”. He had the power, and he weighed in nearly twenty pounds heavier. At first glance, it looked like a Welterweight fighting a Light Heavyweight. To all outward appearances, this fight was over in most writers’ eyes, before it ever began. It was a “take off” fight for Taylor, who had recently battled twelve rounds to a draw, with Winky Wright. A possible “warm up” for Calazaghe. We could not have been more wrong.
Taylor came with his game face. He came out early, and wanted an early knockout. He needed to do that, to show he still had the power. His last three fights went the distance, and some said his power was lacking. We seem to forget the fact, that he fought arguably, two of the best “pound for pound” fighters in the world. Ouma came right at him, as if he was asking for it. Taylor obliged him, landing a series of viscous, fight ending, and possibly career ending, uppercuts and right hands. I can only say, that the ghost’s of Ouma’s past had to be holding him up, and pushing him forward, because, I can not believe he was able to endure the amount of leather, that the bigger, stronger and possibly faster, Taylor laid on him.
Taylor was asked at the end of the fight, if he had spent too much early. His answer was simple, but it said a lot about Ouma. “That little guy is tough. I spent so much early, I had to take a loan out, to finish in the end.” Ouma’s stalking style was not working as it usually did. His punch output was much lower. He seemed to want to trade with Taylor at all times. He was not backing up; he just kept coming forward, taking tremendous uppercuts, right hands, and Taylor’s “jack rabbit” sledgehammer of a jab. I have to give Taylor credit. Even with open scoring, and knowing he was ahead on the scorecards, he continued to fight like a Champion. He did not pull a “Mayweather” on us; he kept fighting as if he was down on the scorecards.
Kassim “The Dream” Ouma has shown us all something. In life as well as, in the ring, a man is judged by what he does, not the trash he talks, or the prizes he wears around his waist. This was his “dare to be great” situation, and he made the very most of it. Taylor’s meteoric rise will continue, and he will probably defeat Calazaghe, and remain that likeable guy, with tremendous ability. Ouma will probably look back at the Jr. Middleweight division, and charge forward, knowing he just took one of the toughest middleweight’s of the past twenty years, and went the distance, while eating everything he had to serve. Ouma lives his life, much like he fights in the ring. He will accept this loss, and the blows he had to take. He will move forward, with his head up, willing to face any obstacle. It is how he was forced to live, and it is the only way he knows how to fight.