Ex-champ defeated by Pavlik out on bond after shooting

Associated Press

MAUMELLE, Ark.

Boxer Jermain Taylor was freed on $25,000 bond Wednesday after police detained the former middleweight champion in the shooting of his cousin at Taylor’s suburban Little Rock home.

Taylor was the middleweight champion from 2005 until 2007 when he lost the title to Kelly Pavlik.

Taylor appeared via video from the Pulaski County jail for his initial court appearance Wednesday. A not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Taylor faces preliminary charges of domestic battery and aggravated assault in the late Tuesday shooting of Tyrone Hinton.

Taylor didn’t speak when he left the jail in Little Rock, accompanied by a bail bondsman. His attorney, Allison Allred of North Little Rock, didn’t immediately return an Associated Press call for comment.

Pulaski County Sheriff’s Lt. Carl Minden said a fight broke out between Taylor, Hinton and another man at Taylor’s home in Maumelle on Tuesday.

“He [Taylor] grabbed a weapon and opened fire,” Minden said.

Hinton was hospitalized in serious condition and the other man was not hurt, he said.

Minden said the nature of the altercation was still under investigation and that Taylor was arrested without incident. Only one gun was involved, he said.

District Judge Wayne Gruber also granted a request from Taylor’s lawyer to let the athlete travel out of state to train and compete in a bout against Sam Soliman to be broadcast live on ESPN on Oct. 8.

The network had yet to decide whether that will go ahead as planned.

“ESPN had committed to carry the fight and was working towards a contractual agreement. We are now reviewing the situation and will make a decision once more details emerge,” the network said in a statement Wednesday.