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Boxing
Dominick Guinn and Jermain Taylor: Arkansas' Future Heavyweight And Middleweight Champions -written March 27, 2004 by Aaron Sean Bayley Tonight in Little Rock, Arkansas at the Alltel Arena, Dominick Guinn and Jermain Taylor look to extend their impressive campaigns with emphatic victories over Monte Barrett and Alex Bunema, respectively. A native of Little Rock, Taylor has been tearing up the middleweight division and impressing even his staunchest critics with hilight reel knockouts. Taylor 14-0 (19), is rated at number six by Ring magazine, and there is debate over whether or not this fast-rising young star will cross paths with a veteran 160-pound warrior named Bernard Hopkins. Look for Taylor to come out quickly and try to knock out Bunema early, in front of his home crowd in Little Rock. He has been rising steadily, against measured opposition, and Bunema will be his toughest test yet. Look for Taylor to knock him out inside of six rounds. Prediction: Taylor KO 4. Dominick Guinn, like Taylor, has been rising steadily against tougher and tougher opposition, and tonight's bout against Barrett will indirectly prove his superiority over Joe Mesi, who was roughed up by Barrett but won a close decision last year. Guinn, who beat Mesi in the amateurs by "boxing his head off for five rounds", will not experience the same troubles Mesi showed against Barrett, and like Taylor, will come out of his corner with all guns blazing. The result? Guinn's sneaky left hook connecting with Barrett's head somewhere before the sixth round. Prediction: Guinn KO 5. © 2004 Aaron Bayley |