BOXING

Promoter Barry McGuigan has tipped Scotland’s Josh Taylor to shine in his first professional title fight tonight – but with the humility and manners he expects of his fighters.

Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Taylor kept his composure under verbal assault from Clifton Mitchell, the trainer of Dave Ryan.

Taylor takes on Derby’s Ryan in a Commonwealth super-lightweight title fight at Edinburgh’s Meadowbank Arena.

Mitchell’s attempts to question the credentials of Taylor and his unsubtle predictions for the fight momentarily got to McGuigan, who demanded the Derby promoter apologise.

That request received short shrift but McGuigan wants his fighters to set a good example and the former world champion said: “We have to have boxers who show those coming up how to behave. It’s not just about being a good boxer, it’s about being a role model.

“We set a culture in the gym. They all work very hard, have great fun and are respectful to our opponents and are good people. It’s a very dangerous sport, as we sawin the last couple of weeks.

“There is no need to be rude. The world is full of vulgarityandwedon’tneed any more of it. We want all our fighters to be humble and Josh is the epitome of that.

“Josh is a talented kid, very humble, very professional and just wait and see what happens. Josh Taylor is going to be a superstar, I promise you.”

Mitchell’s diatribe came less than three weeks after Dundee boxer Mike Towell died following injuries received in a British eliminator.

McGuigan said: “It’s important for us to give agood example because all the people in the boxing game are good people. It’s just idiots like him who think it’s better to be cocky and arrogant. The world is full of arrogance, everyone is sick to death of it.

“He said he’s going to bash Josh’s face in, which is bad language in light of what’s happened to young Mike Towell. We should try to conduct ourselves in a mannerly fashion.” title

Here’s looking at you: Josh Taylor, left, and Dave Ryan