Taylor is in a hurry to make light work of South Africa’s ‘Warrior’
JOSH TAYLOR, the Commonwealth super-lightweight champion from Prestonpans, is in a hurry to dispose of South African Warren “The Warrior” Joubert at Meadowbank Sports Centre tomorrow evening in the first defence of his crown.
But the undefeated 26-year-old is in no rush to take a mighty leap to world title level after just eight professional fights.
Taylor’s manager, Barry McGuigan (inset), the former world featherweight champion, has expressed a desire to match his latest stable star with reigning WBA champion Ricky Burns, from Coatbridge, sooner rather than later, in the belief that the Commonwealth Games gold medallist is progressing at a phenomenal rate.
But while Taylor has hardly put a foot wrong under the tutelage of the legendary Irishman, the star of Glasgow 2014 does not feel he is fully time-served just yet.
Speaking at yesterday’s traditional pre-fight head-to-head in the capital, Taylor pronounced himself satisfied at the way his apprenticeship has panned out so far, as well he might be.
But he also stressed: “I don’t want to get ahead of myself and jump into the deep end too quickly. I still feel I need good domestic fights to prove that I’m the best in Britain. Then I can move on from there.”
Joubert, 35, has suffered four defeats in 35 contests and Taylor claimed that his ninth bout could potentially turn out to be his toughest to date.
But he was also quick to add: “I am very confident. Warren is very similar to Dave Ryan, who I stopped to take the title, in terms of style, which suits me down to the ground.
“I’ve been growing in confidence with the wins I’ve had – and the work I’ve been doing in the gym. I’m hurting middleweights and welterweights with big 14-ounce gloves and head gear on and some of them are big guys.
“So I feel power is definitely developing. I’ve always had the land speed, which creates a bit of power, but I’m punching much harder, getting my weight behind them and punching correctly.
“It’s not like it was in the amateurs, when you just wanted to get your punches away as quickly as possible. I’m sitting down on them now although it’s not necessarily about looking for knockouts. It’s about fighting the right way.”
The challenger is vastly more experienced than the champion but even at this early stage of his career, Taylor has fought and won in Las Vegas in January in his most recent bout, when he unanimously out-pointed Alfonso Olvera.
While he was watched by only a handful of spectators, Taylor impressed enough of the right people in his third fight in the States, where he also defeated Archie Weah in El Paso on his debut in 2015 and Evincii Dixon in New York last year.
His latest success also did wonders for his confidence and whetted his appetite, especially as he shared a training camp with stable-mate Carl Frampton, a man he clearly admires.
“I asked myself: ‘If Carl can do it, why can’t I?’ I believe that if I can apply myself to the sport, dedicate myself in the right way, I can do what he has done,” he added. “I’ve not changed my training but I’m doing more of it. Sprinting faster, lifting heavier weights, doing longer on the treadmill, longer circuits and sparring hard rounds at a top pace and I feel fitter, faster and stronger than I ever have been.” For his part, Joubert has seen enough footage of Taylor in action to treat his opponent with the utmost respect, but he insisted: “While I know he’s a good fighter, I’ve come here to win, not step aside. They don’t call me The Warrior for nothing.”