BOXING: TAYLOR LEAVES NO DOUBT IN REMATCH NO CONTROVERSY, HOPKINS LOSES AGAIN.

Byline: Robert Morales Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS - Perhaps Jermain Taylor is to Bernard Hopkins what Shane Mosley was to Oscar De La Hoya.

De La Hoya could not defeat Mosley in two fights. As tremendous as Hopkins' career has been, he hasn't been able to beat Taylor in two tries.

Five months after defeating Hopkins here in a controversial split decision, Taylor won a unanimous decision Saturday night at Mandalay Bay.

Taylor, of Little Rock, Ark., retained his World Boxing Council, World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association middleweight belts by three scores of 115-113. He is 25-0.

``The difference in this fight, I think Bernard respected me a little more,'' said Taylor, 27. ``Not to take anything away from Bernard Hopkins; he is an excellent fighter. He kept getting me with that right hand, so I still have a lot of work to do.''

Hopkins, of Philadelphia, has now lost two consecutive fights after having made a record 20 consecutive title defenses. He is 46-4-1.

The right cross was Hopkins' best weapon, as usual. He definitely landed the more telling blows in this fight, but unlike the first fight, when he hurt Taylor late in the bout, Hopkins was only able to stun Taylor.

Taylor, meanwhile, did a much better job with his jab in the rematch. He also connected with some stinging right hands. Hopkins, however, believes he won.

``The world seen it,'' Hopkins said. ``I rocked him a couple of times. Every time he would get hit in an exchange, he was told to clinch. Again, I think I did enough to win this fight.''

Hopkins, who will be 41 next month, was asked if he would now retire, or seek a third fight with Taylor. He said he would sit down with his partner and promoter, the aforementioned De La Hoya, before making that decision. When pushed, he said ``absolutely,'' a third fight with Taylor is possible.

And why not? Just ask Taylor. He'll say that Hopkins is still very talented.

``You have to throw everything you can just to hit him,'' Taylor said. "The man is an excellent fighter.''

During the promotion for the rematch, Taylor had complained that Hopkins was a dirty fighter. He said he would not stoop to that level Saturday, but that he would be ready for anything Hopkins might do.

In the first round, Hopkins that he indeed would get dirty, charging and bullying him into a neutral corner. Taylor landed three illegal punches behind the head, and referee Jay Nady soundly admonished him.

After that, it was one slow round after another. A lot of posing, a lot of staring with fighting only in spurts. Judges apparently thought that Taylor had more spurts.

With his father, Valentin, having traveled here from Mexico City, Israel Vazquez of West Covina via Mexico City unified the super bantamweight division with a third-round technical knockout of Oscar Larios of Guadalajara, Mexico, in the semi-main event.

Referee Tony Weeks, on the advice of the ringside physician, stopped the bout with eight seconds left in the round after Larios suffered a gruesome cut over his left eye courtesy of a crunching right hand by Vazquez. Vazquez, the International Boxing Federation champion, took Larios' World Boxing Council belt.

Vazquez, who is managed by Frank Espinoza of West Covina, jumped for joy after the fight was stopped. He came out strong and decked Larios about 30 seconds into the first round. Larios won the second round on two of the three scorecards, but Vazquez was winning the third when he landed the telling blow.

``I'm very happy,'' said Vazquez, who admitted he was a bit astonished at the quick ending. ``I was surprised, Oscar Larios is a great champion. I'm going to enjoy this before deciding what I'm going to do next.''

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Photo:

Bernard Hopkins, left, takes a right to the head from Jermain Taylor during Saturday's middleweight championship bout.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News