 Taylor (r) remains champion after only his second title defence |
Jermain Taylor retained his three middleweight world titles after battling challenger Winky Wright to a 12-round draw on Saturday. The three official judges scored the fight 115-113 for Taylor, 115-113 for Wright and the third 114-114.
Angered by the decision, Wright bolted from the ring in Memphis as soon as it was announced.
It was Taylor's second title defence since outpointing Bernard Hopkins to win the undisputed crown last July.
"He was running around in the last round like he had the fight won," the 27-year-old said of Wright after Saturday's fight.
"If I was him I would have kept fighting. It was a close fight, it could have went either way."
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Wright later said: "I came to his hometown and showed everybody I'm the champ.
"I don't want a rematch. If I have to come here and get that kind of decision, what's the point?"
Taylor (25-0-1, 17 KOs) became the undisputed middleweight champion with an upset win over Hopkins but was forced to give up the IBF belt before winning a rematch in December.
Wright (50-3-1, 25 KOs) gave a strong performance as he fought as a middleweight for just the third time on Saturday.
However, neither boxer could gain any real advantage throughout the fight.
Swelling caused Taylor's left eye to be closed in the final round but Wright's decision to stay away from his opponent for the later stages of the final round appeared to prove costly.
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