Taylor is hoping a new trainer will make a difference

Their second professional fight is set for Feb. 16 in Las Vegas.

Vindicator staff/wire reports

NEW YORK — Ozell Nelson introduced Jermain Taylor to boxing, trained him as an amateur when Taylor defeated Kelly Pavlik, and was promoted to head trainer following Taylor’s knockout defeat to Pavlik in September.

On Tuesday, he had a warning for Pavlik’s trainer, Jack Loew.

“He said, ‘You know, Jack, I was there in the amateurs when we beat you, and I’m back,’ ” Loew said via cell phone on Tuesday. “I said, ‘Well, Ozell, I’m thankful you’re back because all the bad habits Jermain picked up that led to his knockout came from you.”

Loew chuckled.

“You know me,” he said. “I tell it like it is.”

Nelson, who was in New York with Pavlik and Loew to promote the Feb. 16 rematch bout in Las Vegas, recently took over for Emanuel Steward, who trained Taylor for four lackluster bouts before getting ousted in mid-November.

Nelson has been in Taylor’s corner through his pro career, although he hasn’t been head trainer. He was a surprising choice to replace Steward, who never seemed to get the best out of Taylor.

Loew isn’t convinced it’ll make much difference.

“Was the real Jermain Taylor exploited?” asked Loew. “Was he ever that good?”

Taylor was a heavy favorite in the last fight after two decisions over Bernard Hopkins and wins over Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks. Even though Pavlik was 31-0 with 28 knockouts heading into their WBC and WBO title bout, he was not considered as strong a contender as some of Taylor’s previous victims.

When Taylor knocked down Pavlik in the second round, his favorite’s role seemed accurate.

But Pavlik not only got up, he carried the fight to Taylor until, in the seventh round, a massive right landed squarely on Taylor’s chin and knocked out the champ.

With a rematch clause in the contract for the September fight, Pavlik had little choice but to meet Taylor again. This time, however, it’s not a title match because of a 166-pound weight limit agreement in that clause.

Pavlik and Loew wonder why Taylor would want to meet him at a higher weight. Pavlik is 25 to Taylor’s 29. Pavlik is taller and would seem a natural for super middleweight in the future.

“I’ll still go into the fight like a title is on the line,” Pavlik said. “That zero on my record has been there a long time and I want to keep it there.

“The extra weight means ... you don’t have to put yourself through hell to make it. Your energy level will be much higher.”

Added Loew: “I’m puzzled by it, why anyone would let this kid come at you at 166 pounds? You’ll just get a bigger and stronger Kelly Pavlik at that weight.”

Taylor’s third child, Laila Jayden Taylor, was born Monday in Little Rock, Ark.. Taylor stayed home with wife, Erica, and daughter rather than attend Tuesday’s news conference.

The 8-pound, 9-ounce Laila was the talk of the proceedings at a Manhattan nightclub.

After accepting congratulations and even applause on Laila’s birth, Taylor said by phone that his appetite for the sport has been enhanced by the prospect of meeting Pavlik again.

“I look at boxing totally different now,” said Taylor, whose first loss in 29 professional bouts was a seventh-round knockout at the hands of the unbeaten Pavlik. “I have a whole new love for boxing now.

“I made a lot of mistakes in that fight,” he added of the Sept. 29 loss in Atlantic City, N.J. “I’m not making any excuses, but I’ll make up for it the next time.”

Pavlik’s promoter, Bob Arum, said Pavlik’s next fight could be against Irish middleweight John Duddy in June at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Pavlik was scheduled to fight Duddy in late January before Taylor triggered his rematch clause with Pavlik.

“That’s not something we’re talking about right now,” Loew said. “We have one fighter on our mind and it’s Jermain Taylor. We took something off him that took a long time to get. We’re not going to give it up easily.”