Jermain Taylor drops out of ‘Super Six’

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Super-middleweight Jermain Taylor, who was punished by Arthur Abraham in the first round of Showtime’s ‘Super Six’ super-middleweight tournament, announced today he was dropping out of the boxing tournament.

Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KO’s), a former undisputed middleweight champion, was scheduled to fight ‘Super Six’ round one winner Andre Ward on April 17. Showtime has yet to reveal how it will address Taylor’s departure, which was called for by many in the sport, including his own promoter, Lou DiBella.

‘I’m going to take some time off from the sport of boxing and take myself out of Showtime Sports World Boxing Classic tournament,’ Taylor said in his statement. ‘ It’s important that I give my body and mind some much-needed rest, because I have been boxing for nearly 20 years. I plan on keeping myself in shape and making a return to the sport sometime in the future. This was not an easy decision for me, having discussed it with my family, trainer, friends and my advisor, Al Haymon, because I’m a very competitive person -- but I know this is the smart road for me to take. I want to thank Showtime Sports for everything and I wish the best for my five counterparts who will continue on in the Super Six tournament. Most of all, I want to thank the many fans for their continued support.’
-- Lance Pugmire