Taylor buckles down in preparation for rematch

Jermain Taylor usually does his prefight training in his hometown of Little Rock, Ark. But Taylor is so determined to avenge his loss to Kelly Pavlik, he passed on the comforts of home and came to Las Vegas six weeks before the fight to train.

Taylor is preparing at Johnny Tocco's Gym for his Feb. 16 rematch with Pavlik at the MGM Grand Garden. Pavlik won the world middleweight title Sept. 29 with a seventh-round knockout of Taylor in Atlantic City.

"No excuses; Kelly beat me fair and square last time. But I know what I have to do this time around, and I promise you things will be different," Taylor said.

The fight will be at the catch weight of 166 pounds after Taylor exercised a clause in the contract from the initial fight.

Taylor has switched trainers, firing Hall of Famer Emanuel Steward and going back to Ozell Nelson, who first trained Taylor when he was 13 years old.

Taylor had a minicamp in Little Rock before coming to Las Vegas on New Year's Day. He'll remain in town until after the fight.

"Nothing against Emanuel, he's a Hall of Fame trainer and a friend of mine, but what was clicking in training wasn't clicking in the ring come fight time," Taylor said. "Sometimes chemistry works that way."

• JONES' GUARANTEE -- Roy Jones Jr. is not only predicting a short night when he fights Felix Trinidad on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, he's guaranteeing it.

"Trust me, he's not going the distance with me," Jones said in a teleconference last week. "It's hard to believe I won't knock him out. I'll have him out by the fourth (round)."

Jones, who turns 39 on Wednesday, last scored a knockout in 2002 against Clinton Woods.

Trinidad, who has fought only three times since Bernard Hopkins stopped him in 2001 and hasn't fought since 2005 when he lost a 12-round decision to Winky Wright at the MGM Grand Garden, said he'll stay on his feet a lot longer than Jones thinks.

"It's a promise he will not be able to fulfill," Trinidad, 35, said through interpreter Pepe Ramos. "He's just one more fighter who talks. I don't care what he says."

Both fighters are past their prime, but promoter Don King is banking on Trinidad (42-2, 35 knockouts) and Jones (51-4, 38 KOs) to find a way to turn back the clock as the two meet at the catch weight of 170 pounds.

"I've had a long camp, about three months," said Jones, an eight-time world champion in five weight classes. "It's been more difficult, but I love it. I'm a professional. I'll be ready on Jan. 19."

• HAZZARD SUES -- Former New Jersey boxing commissioner Larry Hazzard has sued the state's attorney general after he was fired in November following his attempt to go to Gov. John Corzine with concerns about problems in the commission.

Hazzard filed a whistle-blower protection lawsuit against attorney general Anne Milgram in U.S. District Court in Trenton. In the suit, Hazzard claims he told state officials about health- and safety-related errors and legal violations allegedly committed by Sylvester Cuyler, who at the time worked under Hazzard.

Hazzard claims that after he informed the governor's office of the issues, Milgram fired him and promoted Cuyler.

In the suit, Hazzard said his dismissal caused psychological distress and sullied his reputation and name.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.