[Grant]

Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins can't fathom that their middleweight title rematch Saturday will be anything like the narrow split decision Taylor won over Hopkins on July 16.

Despite all the evidence from their first bout that these two are evenly matched, with 40-year-old Hopkins' advantage in big-fight experience pitted against 27-year-old Taylor's edge in youth and raw power, both predict victory will be easy this time.

Each of them says he would be insulted if Saturday's scheduled 12-round bout at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas is a close fight. Either undoubtedly would accept the affront of such a hard-fought victory, but both declare it will be lopsided.

"If I don't knock him out, I'm winning every round," predicted champion Taylor, who wrested the undisputed middleweight title and four title belts from Hopkins by narrowly winning on two of the three judges' scorecards.

Hopkins, who has maintained that he finished strongly enough last time to overcome Taylor's winning the early rounds, said he would change one part of his strategy Saturday: He won't leave the decision to the judges.

"I've got to finish him when he's hurt," Hopkins said, asserting that he had Taylor in trouble in the first fight. "You can't argue about an ending with a guy snoring on his back.

"When I get him hurt, he's going out."

Hopkins said he is still "the people's champion" because he beat Taylor everywhere but on the scorecards.

Hopkins (46-3-1 with 32 knockouts) has won his three previous rematches by knockout. But Taylor (24-0 with 17 knockouts) insisted his improvements from their first fight will snap that string.

"I'll keep my distance better this time," he said. "I believe if I'd stuck to my jab more, I'd have made the [first] fight a lot easier."

Oddsmakers are as unsure about this bout as the combatants are certain in their claims. Odds have fluctuated from Hopkins being a slight 11-10 favorite to even, with neither fighter given the edge.

Saturday's rematch will be telecast on HBO pay-per-view (8 p.m., $49.95).

Source: Chicago Tribune