Champ Taylor escapes with disputed draw

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Jermain Taylor didn’t do enough to beat Winky Wright, but just enough to keep his middleweight titles.

Taylor and Wright fought to a draw Saturday night, allowing Taylor to keep his undisputed title in a decision that infuriated Wright so much that he ran from the ring in protest.

Wright appeared to dominate the late rounds and Taylor’s left eye was closed in the final round. The No. 1 challenger was so confident of victory that he was on the shoulders of a cornerman with his arms raised when the decision was announced.

One judge had Taylor winning 115-113, one had Wright ahead by the same margin and the third had it a 114-114 draw. The Associated Press scored it 116-112 for Wright.

Wright may have hurt himself at the end when he took much of the final round off, so confident he was that he was winning.

“He was running around in the last round like he had the fight won,” Taylor said. “If I was him, I would have kept fighting.”

Wright, known as a defensive specialist, took the fight to Taylor from the opening bell in a fight that was fast-paced until it began to slow in the later rounds as both fighters were on the verge of exhaustion.

Two judges gave Taylor the final round to get him the draw.

“If I didn’t win the 12th round, then who did?” Wright asked. “He certainly didn’t.”

Wright complained that the judges were influenced by the crowd, many of whom came from Taylor’s hometown of Little Rock, Ark., to cheer.

“I came to his hometown and showed everybody I’m the champ,” he said. “I don’t want a rematch. If I have to come here and get that kind of decision, what’s the point?”

Taylor, who had beaten Bernard Hopkins twice to win the titles, remained undefeated in 26 fights and kept the three belts that he brought into the ring. He did it mainly by using a big right hand to keep Wright off of him during many exchanges.

Taylor (25-0-1, 17 knockouts) earned $3.75 million, while Wright (50-3-1, 25 KOs) was paid $3.5 million.