Boxing
Updated: December 11, 2006, 10.45 AM ET
Langford and Taylor victorious
in world ranking bouts
By Larry Holman
ESPN.com
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While most of the focus during yesterday's schedule of IBL bouts was on who would emerge as winners of the junior-heavyweight and welterweight Challenger's tournaments there were also two other fight cards taking place in Philadelphia and Kingston, Jamaica that had significant importance. Fighting at the Blue Horizon hometown favourite Meldrick Taylor recorded the most impressive victory of his career to date, defeating former WBA welterweight champion Roger Menetrey by unanimous decision (77-74, 76-75, 77-74). Both men had exited the league's world championship tournament in the quarter-finals and then scored victories in September, and so the winner of their contest would earn themselves a world ranking just outside the top ten.
Taylor's win was built in the opening three rounds as, despite some solid work from the Frenchman, he was able to sweep those frames on two scorecards. Menetrey damaged his nose with a jolting uppercut, drawing blood and leading to speculation that it may be broken. Taylor's team did a fantastic job tending to it and it didn't really bother him until the final round, when a sharp combination a minute from the bell brought more blood and led to the ringside physician examing it. By then Taylor had added to his lead with some outstanding efforts in the 5th, 6th and 7th. The fight continued and soon after Taylor was down on the canvas courtesy of a punishing body blow. He was up at three and on the backfoot when Menetrey landed a solid cross. But it was too little, too late for Menetrey. Taylor surivived the round and took the verdict, improving his record to 24-3(17). Menetrey fell to 30-5-1(21). Other winners on the evening were Charlie Shipes, Japan's Jiro Suzuki and Fausto Rodriguez.
Down south at Jamaica's National Stadium Canada's two-time Olympic Champion Sam Langford won for the second time since being controversially eliminated in the quarter-finals of the junior-heavyweight world championship tournament. He won by majority decision against the local favourite Uriah Grant, although that verdict didn't indicate what a one-sided contest it was. One judge somehow managed to score it a 76-76 draw while the other two were right on the mark, giving it to Langford 79-73 and 78-74. While it wasn't the most polished attacking effort of his career Langford's defensive skills were on full display as Grant was only able to land a total of 59 punches at an accuracy rate of 17.7%, Langford connecting with exactly 150 at 34.6%. He's now 16-1(11) and earned the #12 world ranking with his win. Robert Daniels, Mohamad Azzaoui and Idaho's Kenny Keene were also victorious on the card.
While Taylor and Langford are well positioned they'll have to be patient through the first half of 2007 as the IBL schedule calls for them to take on a pair of lower-ranked opponents which they'll have to defeat in order to maintain their rankings before getting a chance of breaking into the top ranking tier. As has been discussed in the past, there will be no easy rides under the IBL banner. Only those who can win consistently will be able to earn themselves a shot at the world championship. Most observers believe that it's only a matter of time until Langford earns that title but he'll have to work hard to get there.
Larry Holman is ESPN.com's boxing writer.