Taylor accuses rival of running scared
JOSH Taylor reckons superlightweight rival Jose Ramirez is already running scared – after turning down the chance to fight in the World Boxing Super Series.
Taylor won the eight-man tournament in October 2019 with a pulsating points victory in the final against top seed Regis Prograis.
The Edinburgh-born fighter also became a unified champion at 140lbs in the process after taking Ivan Baranchyk’s IBF belt at the semi-final stage before ousting Prograis as WBA title holder. Taylor is now poised to lock horns with WBC and WBO champion Ramirez in an undisputed bout in May and believes he already has a psychological edge over the American after he shunned the WBSS.
Taylor said: “I was the second favourite to win it, Prograis was the favourite. Ramirez had the chance to go for that tournament as well but he knocked it back. I don’t really think he really believed, maybe not so much him – he had the chance to go in there and prove it and all the three belts would have been there on the line.
“He knocked it back. It’s either him or his management that doubt him – that don’t really believe in him. He decided to knock it back.”
GLASGOW Warriors head coach Danny Wilson has further boosted his back-three options with the signing of former New Zealand Under-20s full-back Cole Forbes on a “multi-year” deal. The 21-year-old has been training at Scotstoun since the end of January and is expected to be part of the match-day squad for this Sunday’s trip to Leinster.
Forbes is the fourth outside-back to put pen to paper with the Scotstoun outfit in the space of a week, following in the footsteps of fellow New Zealander Josh McKay, who will arrive near the start of next season, Rufus McLean, who recently made his breakthrough into the first team during his first season on a senior professional contract, and Ollie Smith, who is graduating from the Warriors academy. Born in Pukekohe, Forbes is Scottish-qualified through his grandfather, was part of the New Zealand squad for the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship.
“I always wanted to go overseas with my rugby if the opportunity came up, and Glasgow were keen to bring me over and have a look at me,” he said. “All the boys have been great since I arrived.
“The style of rugby is definitely different to back in New Zealand – there’s a lot more kicking up here so I’ve been making sure my game under the high ball is a big focus in training. ”