BOUTS BELTS
Taylor eyes up a double win and the chance to make history by unifying division
JOSH TAYLOR last night revealed he’s only one win away from his first world title – and two away from the chance of becoming a double world champion.
If the Prestonpans puncher beats undefeated American Ryan Martin in their World Boxing Super Series quarter-final at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on November 3 he’ll meet Belarusian Ivan Baranchyk or Swede Anthony Yigit in the semis.
Their last-eight bout is also for the vacant IBF light-welterweight title and that belt will be on the line in the semis.
Another Belarusian, Kyril Relik – who lost his WBA title to Scot Ricky Burns two years ago – has won it back and he’ll defend it against Manchester’s Terry Flanagan in the other semi-final.
Which means that in six months’ time Taylor could be halfway towards becoming the first Scot since lightweight king Ken Buchanan in 1971 to unify his weight division.
The 27-year-old said: “I’d been going for the WBC title before I fought Viktor Postol in June and, if I’d lost, I’d have taken a step back and dropped down the rankings.
“It would’ve taken ages to get back up there again but it has always been my dream to become an undisputed world champion and this tournament can take me halfway there – three fights, two belts. I’m really excited by the prospect.”
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Taylor, who took his pro record to 13-0 by outpointing one-time WBC champ Postol, admits he was more worried about that bout than he is about Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin.
He said: “Funnily enough, I don’t feel any pressure going into this fight. I felt more pressure for the last fight because there was a world title riding on the back of it.
“I knew I’d be coming into this competition if I won it or I was getting a shot at WBC champion Jose Ramirez so I put a lot of pressure on myself the last time.
“This time though I now know I’m world-class level and I’ve proved myself. So I’ll be going into it relaxed and I’ll enjoy it.
“Martin is a dark horse because he’s a bit of an unknown.
“But I’ve watched him in action now and he’s a good fighter. He’s 22-0 with 12 knockouts so that suggests he isn’t a hard puncher. It’ll be a tough fight but I’m fully confident.”
Taylor, who now refers to the Hydro as “my home” revealed that moving into his own apartment in London has been the making of him as a fighter.
He said: “I was a bit frustrated during the last camp. For 14 weeks I was living in a hotel and about 40 minutes away by train from the gym.
“Some nights I wasn’t getting back to the hotel until 11pm and you couldn’t get anything to eat as everywhere was shut. That was frustrating.
“Now I’m just over a mile from the gym so I can just cycle down – it only takes me 10 minutes.”
It has always been my dream to become an undisputed champion JOSH TAYLOR