Josh Taylor is in Las Vegas this week to get his spirits up before the next battle but also for a scouting mission.
The undisputed ultra-lightweight champion joined coach Ben Davison, who was on Devin Haney’s team for the WBC lightweight champion’s upcoming defense against JoJo Diaz, in the capital of boxing to get some work of her own and join Terence Crawford’s latest world title defense.
‘Bud’ Crawford booked his WBO Koreaweight title on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay against former two-time 147lbs champion Shawn Porter. While Taylor is focusing exclusively on his mandatory defense against Jack Catterall next February, he will be keeping a close eye on the main event this weekend.
“I’m going to be in the war and I’m doing a bit of work on the war itself. I will be a fan and a potential competitor in the future,” Taylor said Social boxing on Thursday.
Taylor and Crawford met this week, exchanging jovial tidbits but keen viewers couldn’t help but notice the two scrutinizing each other and likely think they might one day go head-to-head. on the ring.
“I know I’m greater than him,” said “Tornacle of Tartan.”
“He [Crawford] seems to have filled in a bit over the years. He has filled the weight. He’s a little thicker than I thought but other than that I know I’m bigger than him.
“Obviously there was a bit of a difference but it was very appreciable. It’s also his game week so he’s in the zone, so I’m not going to go in there and start doing bad and disrespectful things. We both have a job. I had a job to focus on and that was Jack Catterall and he had a big job on Saturday, so we had a little chat and he congratulated me on the fight against Ramirez and me. Wishing him all the best for Saturday.
“The next day we went to the gym again, his friends were trying to blow me away and I blew them away. It’s all in good spirits. His team, his friends and his coach are good people. It’s pretty cool and all-around kind. ”
To fight then. Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter. A test that looks tough and potentially frustrating but still heavily favored in the champion’s corner. Challenger is known for his bull-like offensive tactics while Crawford seems to have a higher boxing IQ and the ability to turn Porter’s strengths into his weaknesses. What do the undisputed ultra-lightweight champions think?
“It’s a 50-50 fight for sure,” his reply began.
“It was definitely the toughest opponent Crawford had to face. I’m picking Crawford to win. I think it’s going to be tough at times, especially when Porter narrows the range pretty quickly and rushes in quickly, slamming you over and hitting you anywhere. He will hit you in the back, behind the head, legs, hips, arms. Wherever you are, he will hit you. He was so gross and made it a rough night.
“I think it’s going to be tough times for Crawford, but I think he’s going to weather the storm and he’s going to get his rhythm back and find him and start chasing him and overtaking him. and I wouldn’t be surprised if he put him in a shot. It must be said that Porter is a few, a few. I think he’ll catch Crawford with big hits, and sometimes he’ll make him unnoticed, but I think in the end Crawford will adjust.”
Taylor is no stranger to pressure fighters at the professional ranks. From handling Dave Ryan in his seventh bout to winning the IBF world lightweight title against Ivan Baranchyk in match number 15. Scots have their own ways of tackling those tackles with their front foot. .
“It’s patience,” he said.
“Catch them when they come in. Fight him your way rather than fight his fighting style. If you stand there and have a bomb on him, it becomes much more of his fight than my fighting style. It was to fight him on my terms and use my boxing to neutralize him and then hit him like a boxer, hit him at mid and long range and fight him on my terms instead of trying to keep my back off the rope. I think it’s a tactic that he will [Crawford] try and use and use the ring and his footwork and angles and boxing abilities. ”
On February 26 next year, Taylor will defend her undisputed crown for the first time against Jack Catterall in Glasgow. Their Scotland and England clash was originally scheduled for December 18 but was postponed last month when Taylor had to withdraw with a knee injury.
“Honestly, I don’t know, I think it’s just worn out,” Taylor replied when asked how the problem came about.
“It started when I got back to running, and it really hurt. It got to the point where I couldn’t go up and down the stairs or really do anything. I can still do boxing, but I can’t run, I can’t train my strength and conditioning, can’t do a lot of terrible things but now it’s better but I can still do my boxing me. . ”
While the heat in Vegas, rather than vice versa in Scotland, aided his recovery Social boxing Ask Taylor how the past six months have been. His stunning win over Jose Carlos Ramirez put him in the history books and earned him recognition as one of the best boxers in the world. Being the undisputed champion at 140lbs was a moment of pride and excitement for Taylor but he hasn’t forgotten the lack of coverage that the biggest fight of his career suffered.
“It was a big win for me in May when I became the first undisputed champion in the four-belt era. The UK’s first fighter jet to do so on these shores and a huge achievement. So extremely proud of myself but a bit disappointed as well in terms it didn’t get the coverage it should have, it didn’t get the hype it could have and the week after the my war, it was working at full capacity here in Las Vegas. That was a bit frustrating for me.
“A war of its size and making history, it is a huge achievement and it has been snubbed by the UK media and I feel if it were someone else from somewhere else it would be. could be a bigger problem. That’s what it is. I’m back and the media is pretty good. I did a lot of stuff in the media when I came back and got a lot of recognition because I came back, that’s good. It’s pretty packed with TV shows, interviews, and more recognition than where I’ve been but I’m still the same me. ”
The Prestonpans man looks set to prepare for another memorable 2022 when he and fiancee Danielle get married next June. However, the groom-to-be also wanted nothing more than to pack three fights, which would see him pass the 20-fight mark in his career.
“I’m going to have the fight in February, then I’ll let my man do it and I’ll have my wedding,” he said.
“I hope to get out at least twice in the next year, but I really want to get out three times. I will be in the gym all year after my wedding and my man does. Hope to get out twice, hopefully three if I stay at the gym, stay in shape, not get injured. Out three times…. but that can boost it. Will definitely play twice next year and get two well-deserved wins. ”
