Josh Taylor loved the best highs and endured the bottom lows of boxing over the previous 5 years.
The 33-year-old Scotsman had an amazing run from 2019 to 2021, when he defeated in succession Ivan Baranchyk, Regis Prograis, Apinun Khongsong and Jose Ramirez to grow to be the king of the 140-pound division and a global star.
Then got here 2022 and final yr, when introduced him again to earth. He struggled to defeat Jack Catterall by a disputed decision after which was outclassed in a unanimous choice loss to Teofimo Lopez final June. The previous broken his status, the latter value him his titles.
And a rematch with Catterall was postponed twice due to accidents to Taylor, first involving his foot after which his eye, including to his frustration.
He’ll have an opportunity to place all that behind him and regain a few of what he misplaced when he faces his English rival a second time on Saturday night time at First Direct Area in Leeds (ESPN+).
“It’s simply one other combat week and on Saturday it’s simply one other combat,” Taylor, 33, stated at a information convention Thursday. “I’m trying ahead to placing all this to mattress and shifting on with my profession and proving that the final time was simply an off night time.
“Have a look at the historical past of boxing. All the good fighters of the previous have taken defeats and are available again and received world titles once more. Simply since you take one defeat, it doesn’t imply you’re a completed fighter.
“I feel that’s the place boxing has taken a flip for the more serious as a result of when a fighter takes a loss everybody says, ‘Ah he’s completed’, and stuff like that. However within the UFC, there are fighters that have gotten 20 fights with 10 losses however they’re nonetheless on the prime of the sport and nonetheless combating.
“Simply since you take a loss it doesn’t imply that you’re a unhealthy fighter. I nonetheless really feel that I’m on the prime of the sport and on Saturday, I handle enterprise and I’m again within the image and profitable my titles again.”
Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) was lucky to have his hand raised after his first combat with fellow southpaw Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs).
The then-champion went down from a pair of overhand lefts within the eighth spherical, which surprised Taylor’s home-country followers in Glasgow. And he was by no means capable of take management of the combat, though he did his greatest work down the stretch.
He acknowledged the apparent after the combat: “It wasn’t my greatest efficiency.”
“The final combat was a stinker from each of us,” Taylor stated Thursday. “Jack was doing quite a lot of holding and spoiling, slowing the tempo down, I used to be very poor as effectively. I consider the 2 of us generally is a lot higher, and will probably be a greater combat for the followers.
“It’s going to be a barnstormer, we have been within the area on Monday and obtained a little bit of a shock, it’s proper on prime of you. So it’s going to be a fantastic expertise and ambiance in there.”
It has been some time since Taylor has had a fantastic expertise.
