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Kassim
Ouma wins big, with loss to Taylor. Michael Cassell “The
Philadelphia Boxing Report”
PHILADELPHIA – December 13, Kassim “The Dream” Ouma 28-3 -1 (15
KO’s), came into the Alltel Arena with more than just his championship
aspirations. He was carrying the load of the warring Ugandan nation. He
was carrying the death of his father, at the hands of the Ugandan
militia, retaliation for Ouma leaving the country.
Bringing a new meaning, to “lucky number seven”, Ouma was the seventh
child of thirteen, with seven brothers and five sisters. Only four
brothers remain. As he stepped through the ropes, he was not alone, or
even afraid. It was as if he had the spirits of his family were firmly
behind him. They came in together, and no matter what the cost, they
would not go down on this night. It was supposed to be an early knockout
for Taylor; it quickly progressed into a 12 round toe-to-toe, battle of
wills, with blood, guts and all those things, that make a great story.
Jermain Taylor did not get to play the villain to Ouma’s leading role of
hero. Life had taken that role for Ouma by age six, when he was
kidnapped and forced into the Ugandan National Resistance Army.
Jermain Taylor 25-0- 1 (17KO’s), had everything in his favor. The first
and most important thing was, he was walking into the ring with the
undisputed Middleweight Championship. He was in his backyard, and he is
one of the most “liked” Middleweights in the past ten years. He had the
height, 6’1” over Ouma’s 5’8”. He had the power, and he weighed in
nearly twenty pounds heavier. At first glance, it looked like a
Welterweight fighting a Light Heavyweight.
To all outward appearances, this fight
was over in most writers’ eyes, before it ever began. It was a “take
off” fight for Taylor, who had recently battled twelve rounds to a draw,
with Winky Wright. A possible “warm up” for Calazaghe. We could not have
been more wrong.
Taylor came with his game face. He came out early, and wanted an early
knockout. He needed to do that, to show he still had the power. His last
three fights went the distance, and some said his power was lacking. We
seem to forget the fact, that he fought arguably, two of the best “pound
for pound” fighters in the world.
Ouma came right at him, as if he was
asking for it. Taylor obliged him, landing a series of viscous, fight
ending, and possibly career ending, uppercuts and right hands. I can
only say, that the ghost’s of Ouma’s past had to be holding him up, and
pushing him forward, because, I can not believe he was able to endure
the amount of leather, that the bigger, stronger and possibly faster,
Taylor laid on him.
Taylor was asked at the end of the fight, if he had spent too much
early.
His answer was simple, but it said a lot
about Ouma. “That little guy is tough. I spent so much early, I had to
take a loan out, to finish in the end.” Ouma’s stalking style was not
working as it usually did. His punch output was much lower. He seemed to
want to trade with Taylor at all times. He was not backing up; he just
kept coming forward, taking tremendous uppercuts, right hands, and
Taylor’s “jack rabbit” sledgehammer of a jab. I have to give Taylor
credit. Even with open scoring, and knowing he was ahead on the
scorecards, he continued to fight like a Champion.
He did not pull a “Mayweather” on us; he
kept fighting as if he was down on the scorecards.
Kassim “The Dream” Ouma has shown us all something. In life as well as,
in the ring, a man is judged by what he does, not the trash he talks, or
the prizes he wears around his waist. This was his “dare to be great”
situation, and he made the very most of it. Taylor’s meteoric rise will
continue, and he will probably defeat Calazaghe, and remain that
likeable guy, with tremendous ability.
Ouma will probably look back at the Jr.
Middleweight division, and charge forward, knowing he just took one of
the toughest middleweight’s of the past twenty years, and went the
distance, while eating everything he had to serve. Ouma lives his life,
much like he fights in the ring. He will accept this loss, and the blows
he had to take. He will move forward, with his head up, willing to face
any obstacle. It is how he was forced to live, and it is the only way he
knows how to fight.
Mike Cassell |
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