HOPKINS, TAYLOR EACH HAVE A LOT OF MOTIVATION CHAMPION SEEKS RECORD TITLE DEFENSE; CHALLENGER SAYS IT'S HIS TIME.

Byline: Robert Morales Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS - If there is to be a changing of the guard tonight in the middleweight division, Jermain Taylor is going to have to fight the perfect fight against undisputed champion Bernard Hopkins.

That means Taylor will have to come into the ring cool as a cucumber, then do what he does best - work off his spectacular jab.

``I'm a lot faster than Bernard and a lot stronger,'' said Taylor, 26, of Little Rock, Ark. ``I'm going to box him. I'm not going to change nothing about my style, so he ain't got to expect nothing new. My style alone is going to beat Bernard Hopkins.

``The way I jab, the way I use my left hand. He can't take away my jab. Say he does take away my jab, then I'll come with the vicious uppercut, and I'm not the least bit intimidated. This is what I got into boxing for. It is my time and Bernard Hopkins is ready for the taking.''

The Golden Boy Promotions card will take place at the MGM Grand and will be available on HBO pay-per-view for $49.95 beginning at 6 p.m.

Hopkins, 40, holds all four recognized championship belts. He will be attempting to make a record 21st successful title defense. One of his incentives is to show that Father Time has not come close to catching up with him.

Hopkins, however, has another source of motivation. Taylor's promoter, Lou DiBella, is Hopkins' former promoter. DiBella recently won a $660,000 judgment against Hopkins from a defamation and slander lawsuit filed after they parted ways.

Hopkins and DiBella have barked at each other at numerous news conferences during this promotion. Taylor actually had to talk with DiBella and asked him to avoid those confrontations, but Hopkins has made no bones about wanting a victory in this fight in the worst way.

``All I can say is, this is going to be a repeat of what I've been doing for 20 title defenses, but this one is a little bit special,'' Hopkins said. ``I cannot, and will not, lose (this) fight. I'd rather be carried out on a stretcher than lose (this) fight to that particular person (DiBella) and give them their day in the sun.

``That is my demeanor and Jermain Taylor is going to pay the price for what I feel I've got to do. Everybody has had an experience where they just want to go ahead and get what they call revenge.''

In order to exact that revenge, Hopkins (46-2-1, 32 KOs) has to do what he has done since his last loss in 1993. Like he did against Felix Trinidad Jr. in 2001, when he scored a tremendous 12th-round technical knockout, Hopkins needs to patient.

Patience is one of boxing's most important intangibles, and few have exercised it as well as Hopkins. If Hopkins is still capable of doing all of the tangibles that have made him one of the greatest middleweights in history, Taylor (23-0, 17 KOs) could be in for a long, grueling night.

``If I were Jermain Taylor, (his trainer) Pat Burns or anybody else that is trying to find the best way to handle everything that Bernard Hopkins knows how to do, then they must have five or 10 sparring partners that can box, that can slug, that can roll (with punches), that can slip, that can counter, that can do all of the above,'' said Hopkins, of Philadelphia.

Hopkins forgot to mention some of the dirty tactics he has been accused of using. He's good at throwing an elbow or two, and also likes to hit low or behind the back, and he'll toss in an occasional head butt, but he usually does all of this so inconspicuously that he rarely gets caught and is rarely penalized.

Since he wants to send both Taylor and DiBella on their way with their tails between their legs, Hopkins could get especially dirty tonight. Taylor, however, said he's ready for anything.

``Sometimes he can get dirty,'' said Taylor, who will have a contingent of about 4,000 fans from Arkansas in the stands. ``He'll come in with his head or whatever. All his little dirty tactics, I know he's got them. I'm not worried about that because I can get dirty right back at him.

BERNARD HOPKINS vs. JERMAIN TAYLOR

When: Today, 6 p.m.

Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas

TV: HBO pay-per-view

At stake: Hopkins' undisputed world middleweight championship.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Jermain Taylor, right, says he isn't intimidated by Bernard Hopkins.

(2) Bernard Hopkins, 40, attempts to defend his middleweight title for the 21st time tonight.

Laura Rauch/Associated Press

Box:

BERNARD HOPKINS vs. JERMAIN TAYLOR (see text)