Embattled Taylor earns first title in seven years

Biloxi, MS (SportsNetwork.com) – Jermain Taylor won his first world title since 2007 with a unanimous decision over IBF middleweight champion Sam Soliman on Wednesday.

Soliman valiantly fought through a knee injury in the later rounds, and Taylor (33-4-1) capitalized with several knockdowns and easily won all three scorecards by counts of 116-109, 116-111 and 115-109.

Taylor, the undisputed middleweight champ from 2005 to ’07, is currently out on bail after being accused of shooting and wounding his cousin in August.

That arrest, coupled with his recent history in the ring, makes Wednesday’s result all the more improbable.

Taylor, 36, has won five straight fights after taking two years off from the sport. He had dropped four of his previous five bouts, including being brutally knocked out by Arthur Abraham in 2009.

The fight turned in the sixth round when Taylor stunned Soliman with a stiff right. Then midway through the seventh, Taylor sent the Australian to a knee with a glancing jab for the first knockdown of the night.

Soliman (44-12), in his first title defense since out-pointing Felix Sturm in May, was clearly favoring his leg in the eighth round and went to the canvas several times, with only one knockdown being credited.

With under two minutes left in the ninth, Taylor connected with an overhand right and floored the 40-year-old Soliman yet again.

The fight took a similar path the rest of the way, and Soliman somehow limped through the remaining rounds.

Categorized in: Boxing