Arthur Abraham started the Super Six World Boxing Classic in style with a thrilling late knockout of Jermain Taylor in Berlin.
King Abraham floors Taylor late on to start Super Six in style
Arthur Abraham laid down a huge marker in the Super Six World Boxing Classic with a punishing final round knockout of Jermain Taylor in Berlin.
Overcoming a slow start, Abraham came on stronger in the second half of the fight and a hard straight right connected perfectly with Taylor sending the American thumping to the canvas in a heavy knockout.
It was a hurtful case of déjà vu for Taylor, as he suffered a dramatic final-round knockout against Carl Froch in his last fight, and Abraham inflicted an identical stoppage in their first Super Six fight.
'King Abraham' had started slowly but bossed the fight in the second half and was clearly in front when he planted the knockout blow on Taylor with just 14 second left in the contest.
There was no comeback for Taylor though, he hit the deck hard and never looked like getting back to his feet, as Abraham started the tournament off with a maximum three points with two for the win and a bonus for the knockout victory.
Unbeaten
The undefeated Abraham has a unique style and he started slowly with Taylor out-working the Armenian-born Berliner with a busy jab giving him the first few rounds.
Taylor lost a point for a low blow in the sixth, and Abraham then started to take charge of the affair, although his attacks were sporadic they were hurtful and had Taylor on the back foot.
Abraham was choosing not to follow up on his attacks though and that kept Taylor in the fight and in with a chance, but he seemed to need a knockout himself entering the final round.
The former undisputed middleweight king could not get through Abraham's tight defence though, and in the end it was the home favourite who found that finishing touch last on.
Just with the fight fizzling out, Abraham jabbed with the left before a straight right broke through a tired Taylor defence and the result was an emphatic stoppage to start the super middleweight Super Six in thrilling fashion.
Abraham now moves on to face Andre Dirrell next after stamping his authority on the tournament early on.
