July 16, 2005

Boxer Jermain Taylor, a native of Little Rock (Pulaski County), defeated Bernard Hopkins in a split decision to become the new middleweight champion. Taylor won early rounds with his jab and power punches. In the last four rounds, however, Hopkins shrank Taylor’s lead. The decision awarding the match to Taylor was quite controversial, as the definitive twelfth round could easily have been considered a draw.