Daddy cool Keatley keen to earn stay at Scotstoun Veteran Irishman feels he has plenty to offer next term
Taylor has little memory of last bout in Sin City... but the Tartan Army left a lasting impression
IAN KEATLEY was recruited by Glasgow Warriors head coach Danny Wilson in early January as emergency standoff cover until the end of the season, but the 33-year-old wants to hang around longer than that.
He may no longer be in the first flush of youth, but the well-travelled former Leinster, Connacht, Munster, London Irish and Benetton playmaker – who picked up seven caps for Ireland during an eight-year spell between 2009 and 2017 – believes he still has plenty to offer.
A combination of having to complete a 14-day quarantine and the early return from injury of Adam Hastings means Keatley has not yet taken the field in a Warriors strip, but he likes what he has seen of the city and club so far, and that has reinforced his determination to secure a contract extension.
“Talking to Danny before I arrived, that was a goal,” he explained. “Hopefully, there’s a contract there, but first things first, I have to play – and I have to play well to really push the question.”
“The lads call me the daddy of the group but the main thing is I still love the game,” he added.
“Mentally I love it and physically it’s not as if I’m going around on crutches.
I’m moving well and keeping fit, so as long as I stay fit and healthy, I’d like to keep playing.
“There was a period at the start of the season when I was over at Benetton and I wasn’t enjoying it, and I was thinking, ‘this is my last year, I don’t want to play any more’. But since I’ve come here, I’ve had a new lease of life and I’m enjoying my rugby again. My family’s happy and I want to keep going. It’s the old cliche, as long as I’m still enjoying it and love playing, I want to keep going... that’s as long as someone wants me!”
Moving to a new country during lockdown can’t be easy, especially with two children under the age of four, but Keatley says that the family is settling in well.
“It’s a lovely place and in fairness to the guys on the team they’ve been really welcoming to me, and towards my family as well, so it has been great so far,” he said.
“We’ve been here for seven or eight weeks and the first few weeks were easy and nice because it was different
THE last time Josh Taylor fought in Las Vegas, the notion that he might one day return with the chance to become the undisputed world champion seemed a long shot at best.
Granted, the self-styled Tartan Tornado was already Commonwealth champion but, with just seven professional fights under his belt, the super-lightweight southpaw was still very much in the infancy of his career.
Alfonso Olvera provided obdurate opposition that night back in January 2017, taking Taylor the distance for the first time since he turned over from the amateur ranks.
All three judges, though, scored the fight in the Scot’s favour on the undercard of Carl Frampton’s world title bout with Leo Santa Cruz at the MGM Grand.
In the subsequent four years, Taylor’s reputation has simply grown and grown. He will return to Sin City on May 22 still unbeaten, with two world titles to his name and with the aim of adding Jose Ramirez’s two belts to his haul.
That previous fight in
Vegas was all part of his development. But it is the celebrations, rather than the bout itself, that Taylor now remembers most about the experience.
And it is why he hopes travel restrictions are lifted in time so an army of Scottish boxing fans can travel over to experience it with him.
“Most of my memories of that time before in Vegas don’t actually involve the fight,” he admits.
“I remember more about being in the camp with Carl, watching him preparing, and seeing the massive contingent he had over with him.
“The day after the fight we went to the Nine Fine Irishmen Pub across the road. All the fans were in there and it was just a brilliant day.
“It would be amazing for the travel restrictions to be lifted this time so people can go and let me have a travelling support.
“I want to take the Tartan Army over to Vegas and have a big shindig after the fight. That would be amazing.
“Carl stuck his card behind the bar that day and of course I’d do the same. Especially in the current circumstances when people have been off work and not making much money.
“If they are willing to spend money on coming over to Vegas to watch me then I’d want to treat them to a few drinks after I win the belts.”
Taylor’s previous five fights have been against opposition of the highest calibre; Apinun Khongsong, Regis Prograis, Ivan Baranchyk, Ryan Martin and Viktor Postol had one professional loss between them prior to stepping into the ring with the Scot.
Ramirez is similarly putting his blemish-free 26-0 record on the line but Taylor is not fazed.
“I’ve been training since the beginning of January,” he revealed. “I’ve been in camp for about five or six weeks now, so I’m pretty fit already, ahead of schedule.
“I started sparring again last week and by the time the fight comes, I’ll be raring to go.
“I feel really lucky to be in this position. But I’ve worked hard to get in this position. I’ve dedicated my whole adult life to my sport and my craft.
“For this fight to come off, something every fighter dreams about, headlining in Vegas, I know I’m one of the fortunate few getting to do that.
“So I feel satisfaction that all my hard work and dedication over the years is paying off.
But I’m not finished yet. I’ve still got a job to do. Win this fight and that’s something else ticked off the bucket list of things I want to achieve.”