Taylor eyeing Burns

JOSH Taylor does not require a fight with Ricky Burns to progress his c a r e e r, a c c o rd i n g to trainer Shane McGuigan.

The 26-year-old from Prestonpans thrilled Braehead Arena and Channel 5 viewers on Saturday night with his impressive seventh-round stoppage win over Londoner Ohara Davies to add the WBC Silver belt to his Commonwealth super-lightweight title.

Taylor, who boxes out of Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions stable and who is unbeaten in all 10 pro fights, immediately turned his attention to Burns, his fellow Scot who is a training partner of Davies.

A mooted meeting between Burns and Manchester’s Anthony Crolla could scupper a Tartan tear-up.

And although McGuigan is also keen on Taylor taking on the man who won world titles at three different weights, he believes his fighter is on his way to the top regardless of which route he takes.

“If he doesn’t fight Ricky Burns there is no skin off his nose,” he said.

“He can go on and do his own thing and be a better fighter than Ricky Burns, I feel.

“Although Ricky i s a three-weight world champion, he lost to the elite fighters, he never beat, really, an elite fighter.

“He (Taylor) will beat the elite fighters. He might not be a three-weight champion because he didn’t start at super-featherweight — he is a big light-welterweight but he might end up a light-middleweight — but he is a fantastic fighter.”

Burns l ost his WBA super-lightweight belt to Namibia’s Julius Indongo in Glasgow in April.

Josh Taylor