Josh Taylor v Viktor Postol - WBC final eliminator 23/6/18 Glasgow - Ch5

[smashup]

Unbeaten WBC Silver Super Lightweight champion Josh Taylor (12-0-0) and number one-ranked contender Viktor Postol (29-1-0) came face to face for the first time on Monday ahead of their WBC title final eliminator on June 23 in Glasgow.

Both men were in good spirits as they spoke before a packed house at the Hilton Grosvenor Hotel, with members of both camps expressing their confidence ahead of a huge night of boxing at the SSE Hydro.
Bantamweight sensation Lee McGregor (3-0-0) was also in attendance, as it was announced he would face Tanzania’s Goodluck Mrema (22-2-0) for the IBF Youth Bantamweight World title as part of the undercard.


Here's what they had to say:
JOSH TAYLOR: “It’s great to be fighting in Glasgow. Every time I’ve been here since the Commonwealth Games the reception has been unbelievable.
"This is definitely the biggest fight of my career to date, and the atmosphere on fight night should give me the extra 10% I need.
“Viktor is someone I have a lot of respect for and he’s shared a ring with some top opposition, but I won’t waste this chance to fight for a world title.
"I don’t know exactly how the fight is going to unfold on June 23, but I know that it’ll be a Josh Taylor win. There’s no way I’m losing this fight in front of those fans.”
VIKTOR POSTOL: “It’s a big pleasure to be here. I know that Josh Taylor is confident, otherwise he would not have taken this fight.
"He is a good boxer, he has a lot of knockouts and I know how dangerous he is. It’s a hard fight to predict, but I know that we both want to win by KO.
"I hope that everybody watches on June 23, and I think I can take a big step towards becoming a world champion once again.”
BARRY MCGUIGAN: “This is the most important fight of Josh’s career. It’s the final hurdle before we get to fight for the world title, and it’s against a very dangerous opponent.
"It’s going to be a fantastic night of boxing, and I really think Josh will show us what he’s got. He’ll be magnificent, and there’s no doubt about that.
"Viktor Postol is someone we have a great deal of respect for, and he’s definitely the best fighter to travel to Scotland since Terence Crawford.
"This is a major fight for world boxing, and we’re very excited about it.”

[Alpha]

I think Postol's finished. He got a gift in his last fight, as well as dropped. Taylor knocks him out.

[Master]

Josh Taylor is getting ready for Loma and Garcia in the very near future.

[Alpha]

Josh Taylor is getting ready for Loma and Garcia in the very near future.

He's got his work cut out for him at 140. Prograis won't be an easy task.

[Dia bando]

This is a good fight Taylor looks a bit special I can't see Pistol going the full 12.
Master will be dancing in the street because it's free to watch.😁

[Kirkland Laing]

Twelve fights and they're putting him in with Postol. McGuigan not hanging around, is he?

[Master]

Twelve fights and they're putting him in with Postol. McGuigan not hanging around, is he?

This guy is special. He is our Loma.

[smashup]

Bumping/Sticky this Taylor thread, arguably one of the best up and coming fighters in the UK and let's be honest if he was fighting under Matchroom and Sky he'd get way more attention.

Superb fighter, brutal body shots, great jab and tonnes of speed and footwork.

[smashup]

If Taylor can stop Postol inside the distance that'll be a massive statement to the elite of the division, Crawford (Postols only loss) couldn't stop him and won by a UD.

Since turning professional in July 2015, Taylor, who is rated No. 6 by THE RING, has been fast-tracked to top level at high speed and decimated all before him. The 27-year-old southpaw has scored 11 knockouts in 12 fights and is now firmly established as one of the finest 140-pound fighters on the planet.
Confident and humble in equal measure, the Edinburgh man has developed the attractive habit of producing his best form when it matters most. In July, Taylor handed English rival Ohara Davies his first defeat as a professional, stopping the precocious power-puncher in seven rounds. Four months later, he became the first fighter to knock out former lightweight titleholder Miguel Vazquez, taking out the durable Mexican veteran with a single right hook to the body in the ninth.
Fans and media have taken notice.
“I always believed I would get to where I am but I didn’t believe it would happen this quickly,” said Taylor in an interview with THE RING. “I didn’t think I would climb the rankings this fast and get these big fights so rapidly. I didn’t think I could get to a world title eliminator in less than three years and I’ve done it in just 13 fights.
“I’m feeling very sharp and I’ve been firing on all cylinders in this camp. I’ve been ahead of schedule from the start in terms of my fitness and my weight. I’ve done everything better this time around and I’m feeling better for it.”
And Taylor must be at his best if he is to defeat former WBC 140-pound titleholder Viktor Postol this Saturday. The pair collide at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro and the talented Ukrainian, who is rated No. 2 by THE RING, represents the toughest challenge of Taylor’s career to date.
“Postol is a great fighter,” said Taylor with immediate respect. “He’s world class and that goes without saying. He’s a former world champion and he’s been in with the best. His only defeat was to Terence Crawford on a points decision so I definitely have my hands full.
“The atmosphere is going to be amazing and the fans will be really vocal. It’s going to be great and all that noise gives me an extra 10 percent on fight night and gives me that buzz. I feel like King Kong and nobody can beat me.”
Postol (29-1, 12 KOs) is not known for his punching power, but he’s a cerebral and seasoned technician who has been the 12-round distance on six occasions. Taylor has never been beyond nine in his career and the assumption is that the visitor will try to make this a long and frustrating night.
“It could be exciting or it could be technical,” Taylor said. “In the first couple of rounds we could be feeling each other out with a sort of amateur style. I’m half-expecting that, but I’m just going to be patient. I’m not going to dive in and go 100 miles an hour because he’ll be banking on his experience.
“When I start hitting him, that’s when things will change. When I start hitting him downstairs he’ll slow down and if he puts pressure on me, that’s when I’ll catch him out. I think I can take Postol out with my speed and timing.”
The Taylor-Postol bout has been sanctioned as a final eliminator for the WBC title. At this moment, that belt is held by Jose Carlos Ramirez who faces Danny O’Connor on July 7 in Fresno, California. Both Taylor and Ramirez competed at the London 2012 Olympics and the Scotsman does not expect the title to change hands.
“As far as I know, Ramirez has a bit of a light touch and I understand this is a tick over fight for him,” said Taylor. “I don’t know anything about (O’Connor), so I expect Ramirez to come through that and then I’ll get my crack at him next.
“We’ll have to wait and see, but I’m going into the biggest fight of my career right now. You would think I’d be feeling nervous, but I’m really relaxed. I’m actually looking forward to this fight. I’ve not been thinking about Postol and I’m just focused on myself.”
That strategy has been working very well so far.
Taylor-Postol will be broadcast live by Channel 5 in the U.K.

[Master]

Bumping/Sticky this Taylor thread, arguably one of the best up and coming fighters in the UK and let's be honest if he was fighting under Matchroom and Sky he'd get way more attention.

Superb fighter, brutal body shots, great jab and tonnes of speed and footwork.

It is on Channel 5, the home of boxing, he will be a household name.

[Alpha]

Twelve fights and they're putting him in with Postol. McGuigan not hanging around, is he?

This guy is special. He is our Loma.

It's still early days but Taylor looks exceptional. Postol gets blown out.

[Primo Carnera]

Twelve fights and they're putting him in with Postol. McGuigan not hanging around, is he?

This guy is special. He is our Loma.

It's still early days but Taylor looks exceptional. Postol gets blown out.

I agree. I don’t want to go off the top board like @Master always does, but no doubt this is the fight that will elevate Taylor’s status and get people at World level thinking.

[Alpha]

Twelve fights and they're putting him in with Postol. McGuigan not hanging around, is he?

This guy is special. He is our Loma.

It's still early days but Taylor looks exceptional. Postol gets blown out.

I agree. I don’t want to go off the top board like @Master always does, but no doubt this is the fight that will elevate Taylor’s status and get people at World level thinking.

He does go a little ott.

Comparing him to Loma, this early seems ludicrous, but it is not as far fetched as it sounds, given Taylor's ability.

[Master]

I never go over the top.

Channel 5 boxing is the best in the world.

[Dia bando]

Good fight can't wait.😊