MIAMI- With less than two weeks to go before the fight that could determine the entire direction of his boxing future, Jermain Taylor is both calm, cool, confident and anxious to get in the ring. Taylor has less than one week left in his Miami-based training camp before shifting to Nashville, Tennessee, site of his 12-round Super Middleweight Eliminator fight with Jeff Lacy on November 15th "All Or Nothing".
HBO World Championship Boxing will televise the bout from Memorial Gymnasium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee (10:15pm ET / 9:15pm CT / 7:15pm PT).
DiBella Entertainment is presenting the 12-round super middleweight title eliminator in association with Prize Fight Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. Tickets are on sale now at $275, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, and available through all Ticketmaster locations at 615-255-9600 or www.ticketmaster.com .
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"Everything is peaking at the right time,” Taylor said. “I’m ready. I feel great, and we have a good game plan for Jeff. I have the skills to go in there and win, and look good doing it. I’m hungry, and I’m ready to fight.”
Taylor’s hunger has been building all throughout training camp. He and lead trainer Ozell Nelson have watched plenty of film of Taylor’s two losses to Kelly Pavlik — the only two of the Little Rock, Ark.-natives professional career — and Taylor said he has worked all camp long on correcting any mistakes that Lacy may feel he can take advantage of. Nelson said all the hard work has paid off. Taylor has been well within his target weight for several weeks, and Nelson said training has gone better than planned.
"Things have really come together perfectly,” Nelson said. “Jermain has been sharp and focused since the beginning of camp, and I can really tell he is as determined as he ever has been. I couldn’t have asked for a better effort from Jermain at this training camp.”
Coming off two losses has a way of sharpening a fighter’s focus. Taylor said his bouts with Pavlik have motivated him in a way no opponent has before.
“It pushes me like nothing else,” Taylor said. “This is a fight both of us need to win, especially me, coming off two losses.”
The hype surrounding this fight is growing, in large part because this is a fight that is so crucial to the careers of both Taylor and Lacy. Both fighters know a loss will be very difficult to come back from.
“Jermain knows how big this is,” Taylor’s promoter, Lou DiBella, said. “He’s very aware. This is the kind of fight that will escalate him back to the top. He has to win the fight. I do think he’s hungry again. He wants this fight.”
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