Your thoughts on the Meldrick Taylor Julio Ceaser Chavez fight in 1990?

Question

Did Richard Steel stop the fight too early? Should this have been the first Chavez loss? Taylor was unresponsive and was still holding on to the ropes. Where does this rank on all time great fights?

Answer 1

Wow, that's a tough call. Taylor was hurt badly after the knockdown but he managed to get to his feet. Steele should've been aware of the time left though because of the 10 second flashing light in the corner and he wasn't paying attention to it. On the other hand, when you have a hurt fighter in front of you, your focus in on that fighter. Steele asked Taylor twice was he ok, and Taylor didn't respond either time, so he had no choice but to stop it. But maybe if Steele had been aware of the time left in the round, he would've given Meldrick a chance to finish.

I personally never like it when a ref asks fighter are you okay and does nothing else to see what condition that fighter is in. I think a ref should always take a step back and let the fighter come to him, that way you can see how his legs are and can make a better assessment of him. Meldrick turned to look at Lou Duva, who was coming up on the ring apron right when Steele was asking him was he ok, and that distracted Taylor. But you really can't fault Steele, all he sees is a hurt fighter in front of him who isn't responding to his commands, so he stopped it. It was a shame because Meldrick had fought his heart out and really deserved to finish and win the title. But i would have to say that Steele did the right thing. If a guy doesn't respond, you have to stop it. Just like Dr. Flip Homansky stopped the Michael Moorer-Evander Holyfield 2 fight because Moorer did not respond to Homansky's commands in the corner, he had no choice but to stop it. A figther's safety is first and foremost in the ring.

Answer 2

It was a good stop. it doesnt matter what the time is. Chavez had him seriously hurt and Meldrick though he was winning on points was taking some hard shots throughout the fight. He was knocked out standing up. Meldrick was ruined for the rest of his life after that fight. I cant imagine what a few more punches from Chavez would of done to him. 10 seconds or 10 rounds, if a guy is at the point where they cant defend themself, you got to stop the fight. He didnt look like he REALLY wanted to take anymore hits either. He may have fought a great fight, but in those last seconds he looked like a beaten fighter.

Answer 3

All I can say about this fight is that it broke MY heart, so I can only imagine how Meldrick felt. But, to be fair, everyone other than the judges had a hand in that stoppage (mostly Chavez of course for causing the knockdown which was spectacular) It all starts with Taylor's corner who urged him just before the last round to go out and slug with Julio, despite Meldrick's obvious lead. It's funny to me how commonly fighters historically DON'T take the advice from their corner in the clutch, and it's usually a bad thing..but in this case..I think Meldrick should've ignored his corner in that last round. The fact is, Meldrick was being his showboating self, and wanted to beat Chavez down rather than coast three minutes to victory. Other than that, Lou Duva should not have been distracting Meldrick while Steele was asking Taylor vital questions, Meldrick should not have allowed Lou to distract him, and finally, Steele SHOULD not have so hastily waved off the fight...I mean if you watch it again and again..he calls the fight so quickly.(Even Chavez was visibly surprised..even as you watch the video, Julio was standing behind Steele ready to congratulate Meldrick just before the stoppage.) He really should have grabbed his gloves, made him step forward...all the normal things most refs do after a knockdown...the physical checks, rather than JUST quickly asking "are you all right.." in an auditorium full of some of the loudest screaming fans and excitement i've ever seen. I may catch a lot of heat for this...because Taylor certainly may not have been o.k....but I think Steele was to hasty Although I don't think it was intentional. Steel was just as excited as everyone else, and was trying to do his job. Undeniably one of the most greatest championship fights or real life dramas period you'll ever see outside of Hollywood movies.

Answer 4

One thing people are forgetting: if you watch the tape of the fight you'll see Meldrick looking over to his right at his corner when Steele asks him "Are you OK?" The reason? Lou Duva was on the ring apron, screaming instructions to him. Mel was trying to make out what he was saying and not paying attention to Steele(which, in all fairness, he should have been). He wasn't that badly hurt and could have continued.

There is also what I think is a mistaken notion that somehow Chavez "ruined" Taylor's career. People forget that Taylor, a natural lightweight, made yet another jump from 140 to 147 after the Chavez bout and had a pretty good run. In fact he won a piece of the welterweight crown from tough, undefeated(32-0) Aaron Davis by a convincing decision. This is the same Davis who savagly KO'd Taylor's stablemate Mark Breland. Mel went on to defend his title twice, once against another undefeated fighter in Luis Garcia(22-0). The other defense was against the top contender Glenwood "The Real Beast" Brown. Brown was a feared puncher and knocked Mel down twice, which was indication to me that he should move right back on down to 140. He was just too dang small for the welters.

So what does Taylor do? He moves UP to 154! Challenges Terry Norris! Unbelievable. He tries to slug it out with the much more powerful Norris and gets destroyed. In the post-fight interview even Norris expressed bewilderment that Taylor- no big puncher even at 135- would try and slug it out with him. After this fight Mel moved back down to 147 and was promptly clobbered by Crisanto Espana, effectively ending his career as a top performer.

Constant moves up in weight ruined Taylor's career, not the Chavez fight.

Answer 5

I saw the fight, and I think Richard Steele made the correct call, Taylor was done. Mel's punches were quick, lighter flashy shots that lacked the power of Chavez's. It was a tradgy for Taylor, I gave him every round, he even won the round he got KOed in, but make no mistake the call to stop the fight was justified.

Taylor was out landing Chavez 5 to 1 but Chavez's shots were hard, punishing power shots that were doing a lot of damage. The accumulation of punishment broke Taylor down and by the later rounds it was apparent that Taylor was taking a lot more damage than Chavez. Mel was still out landing Chavez to the end, but Chavez's punches were a lot harder and were doing a lot more damage.

Steele called the fight based on the condition of the fighter in front of him and the lack of response to his questions. I feel for Meldrick, he fought the fight of his life, but the call was correct by Steele.

Answer 6

All I think about when I look back at that fight is what if Chavez landed that big right or wicked left hook with 2 seconds remaining after Steele allowed the fight to continue. In Taylor's condition, it could've killed him and everybody would be saying, "why didn't steele stop that fight, anybody could see that taylor was out on his feet, steele is the worst ref ever"!

Answer 7

Yes he should have stopped the fight. Meldrick was clearly out of it. It's always the right call to stop a fight when someone was in the condition Meldrick was in.

It was a good fight, Meldrick was holding his own but Chavez weathered all of Meldrick's firepower and wore him down. After the fight Meldrick looked like he got his @$$ kicked by a gang of four people.

I'm not sure its a classic fight, more like a classic comeback on the part of Chavez. Bided his time and dropped the hammer when the opening presented itself.

Answer 8

I watched this one, and I certainly believe Richard Steele did the right thing. His first concern has to be with the safety of the fighters, and Taylor was incapable of defending himself, which is the standard for stoppage. The ref is not supposed to consider the effect of the stoppage on the fighter's career, but rather the effect of another blow on his body or life. And it's not for him to look at the clock and guess whether another blow will or will not land.

I'd certainly rank the fight among one of the all-time greatest. It's a classic, boxer v. puncher, and the boxer was ahead on all cards as expected. The puncher's one chance is the KO, and JCC scored it, truly and effectively, at the last possible second. We should not take that away from him. Those who diss Steele are actually denying Chavez (and by extension all punchers) their one available route to victory.

Answer 9

It is a forgotten classic and most fans will scream that it should have continued, since the match was seconds from being a decision for Taylor. But Taylor was stunned and Steele - or any ref - is not looking at the clock for time remaining. Chavez was fortunate to catch him late, but great champions make their own luck by never giving up the offense.

Answer 10

steele did the right thing stopping the fight. taylor was exhausted, couldnt see properly, swallowed 2 pints of blood....yes he was distracted by duva shouting instructions at him during the standing 8 count, and yes he should have stayed away from chavez in the 12th , but chavez could have landed one last and potentially dangerous blow before the final bell..
in addition, taylor is still fighting on today...his speech is so slurred that if you see footage of him being interviewed in '90 and again in '02 youll see why its a disgrace he still has a boxing licence.
he was great for a short while, but winning the chavez fight wouldnt have changed the effects the fight had on his mental and physical health.

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=J4fkqBvP244&mode=related&search=