King of the ring.. then the castle
Mexican hardman Miguel puts his tourist recce on hold to focus on dethroning top Scot Taylor
MIGUEL VAZQUEZ insists he’ll conquer Edinburgh Castle after taking Josh Taylor’s WBC silver crown in the capital tonight.
The former world champion means business and will leave the tourist trail until after he faces the hometown favourite.
Super-lightweight star Taylor has been hitting so hard in the gym his sparring partners have had to don ice hockey armour.
But the Scot is expecting his toughest test yet with Vazquez out to dethrone him at the Royal Highland Centre.
The 30-year-old said: “I have been here half a week but I have not been able to enjoy Scotland – just the cold weather.
“But hopefully after I win I will have the chance to tour around and return in the future to visit again – not for a fight, just to tour.
“I want to see the Castle but my biggest dream is to be king of the boxing fraternity.”
The Mexican has mixed it with some of the greats including Canelo Alvarez as well as Timothy Bradley and has never been stopped in his 44 bouts.
Taylor might be the one with the hype and hopes of reaching the top but Vazquez is convinced he has the tools to stop him.
He said: “I’ve come here to win. Even though Josh Taylor is only having his 11th fight I would never underestimate him. I know he’s a good fighter but I have the leverage on experience.
“Taylor is taller and at the beginning he is going to try to use his reach to keep me away.
“But I am going to try to put pressure on him and wear him down. First I am going to try to use my skills to disrupt Josh’s rhythm. With all due respect to Josh Taylor I am confident in my training – I have prepared myself 100 per cent.
“Throughout my career I have learned to control my nerves.”
Vazquez is an awkward rival but insists he’s more than a runof-the-mill Mexican fighter.
He said: “My country has produced a lot of great boxers and I plan to keep that tradition alive. But I don’t want to fall into the category of the plain old Mexican fighter who receives one punch, responds with three or four and goes crazy toe to toe.
“I also base my boxing on the styles of Cuban fighters who keep their distance and use the art of boxing.”
Promoter Barry McGuigan is predicting an explosive night with his man up against a fighter who is “going to be ruthless”.
But the ring legend turned manager said: “Taylor hurts guys in sparring. We actually had to put an ice hockey carbon fibre bodyguard on one of his sparring partners to protect him from Taylor’s body shots.
“He breaks guys’ ribs. The fighter in question said after the first session he felt as if he was dying and if he got bashed like that again he wouldn’t be able to come back the following day.
“Taylor has a way of getting through against tough opponents, the way he throws his shots and varies his punches.
“I genuinely believe he can be the first to knock out Vazquez – he’s such a spiteful puncher.”
The fight night is live on Channel 5 and Jason Easton is out to put on another show as he defends his IBO superlightweight intercontinental title against unbeaten Czech Josef Zahradnik. The Edinburgh fighter said: “I’ve improved so much since my last fight.”
Highly-rated amateur Lee McGregor wants to impress on his pro bow and said: “Hopefully I can give the public a little taste of what’s to come over the next few years.”
I want to see the Castle but my biggest dream is to be boxing king MIGUEL VAZQUEZ