Josh Taylor v Apinun Khongsong - 26/9/20 - BT SPORTS

[TonnnnUK]

Is Josh Taylor a little overhyped over here or is it just me? Don't get me wrong he is a decent boxer, but people seemingly go a bit overboard in gushing praise of him.
He's no doubt number 1 in a pretty limited division. He just about got by Prograis in a close fight (I actually scored it to Prograis by a point), and while he probably as the beating of Ramirez if they face each other there are better fighters in the divisions around him.

If the main 3 boys in the lightweight division moved up, or Josh went in with the welterweights he'd be in trouble.

It is just you, Josh Taylor has proved himself as the best and few British fighters can say they have been the best at their weight. What more could he do to prove himself to you?

I've said he's seemingly the best, in a somewhat limited division though. He just happens to be between 2 divisions where there are some super elite boxers. I'm not sure he has the beating of the likes of Lomachenko, Davis, Errol Spence or Crawford. I'm not saying I've seen people say he would beat these guys, but he gets enough high praise that he should be able to mix it at that kind of level.

For me, I'm not sure he is quite up there. Would be happy for him to prove me wrong mind. Lots of great match ups around those weights.

[Master]

Is Josh Taylor a little overhyped over here or is it just me? Don't get me wrong he is a decent boxer, but people seemingly go a bit overboard in gushing praise of him.
He's no doubt number 1 in a pretty limited division. He just about got by Prograis in a close fight (I actually scored it to Prograis by a point), and while he probably as the beating of Ramirez if they face each other there are better fighters in the divisions around him.

If the main 3 boys in the lightweight division moved up, or Josh went in with the welterweights he'd be in trouble.

It is just you, Josh Taylor has proved himself as the best and few British fighters can say they have been the best at their weight. What more could he do to prove himself to you?

I've said he's seemingly the best, in a somewhat limited division though. He just happens to be between 2 divisions where there are some super elite boxers. I'm not sure he has the beating of the likes of Lomachenko, Davis, Errol Spence or Crawford. I'm not saying I've seen people say he would beat these guys, but he gets enough high praise that he should be able to mix it at that kind of level.

For me, I'm not sure he is quite up there. Would be happy for him to prove me wrong mind. Lots of great match ups around those weights.

I think Josh has the beating of the smaller elite fighters you mentioned but probably not the welterweights.

[Master]

Josh Taylor EXCLUSIVE: Viktor Postol made Jose Ramirez look ‘very ordinary and slow’, I will ‘expose’ him

Josh Taylor has told talkSPORT he was far from impressed by Jose Ramirez’s recent win over Viktor Postol.

The Scot, who holds the WBA and IBF super-lightweight world titles, is being lined up for an undisputed unification fight with the American, who owns the WBC and WBO belts.

Ramirez retained his crowns by edging out mandatory challenger Postol on August 29.

He did so with a narrow majority decision – scores of 116-112, 115-113, 114-114.

Taylor agreed with the third judge, and told talkSPORT Fight Night: “I think it was a very good fight.

“I actually scored the fight a draw myself. I scored it a draw.



“I thought Postol ran away with the early rounds.

“First half of the fight, he made Ramirez look very ordinary and slow.

“I saw lots of holes that I definitely will expose if or when we meet.

“I believe I will expose him. I wasn’t impressed with what I saw at all.”



Taylor knows Postol very well, as he beat him by a wider unanimous decision back in 2018.

He did not have it all his own way against the Ukrainian though, and was hurt in the seventh round.

Comparing the two fights, he continued: “I think it was a good performance considering.

“That was my first fight at world level, it was only my 13th fight as well.

“There was a lot of pressure riding on me, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself because I had a lot of proving to do.

“So I believe if I had that fight again I’d put on an even more dominant performance and blow him away.

“I think it [the Ramirez vs Postol fight] makes my victory look a little bit better.

“I thought he was quite unlucky not to get the nod.”

Taylor must defend successfully against his mandatory Apinun Khongsong on September 26 if he’s to meet Ramirez later this year.

Regarding the bout, which will take place behind closed doors, Taylor concluded: “The point with no crowds – the belts are on the line and my record is on the line.

“So I will have that fear factor and the nerves which you do need to keep you on your toes.

“There’s no need to worry about that, I’ll be right up for it because I’ve got a fear of losing, a fear of losing my titles.

“And a fear of losing the dream that I’ve got, which is getting that undisputed fight or that dream fight at Edinburgh Castle or Easter Road.

“I don’t believe it’s gonna affect me in any way.”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/7...-jose-ramirez/

[Master]

Unbeaten Josh Taylor dreams of fighting 'hero' Manny Pacquiao as Apinun Khongsong title bout approaches

Josh Taylor makes a mandatory defence of his WBA and IBF light welterweight titles against Thai knockout artist Apinun Khongsong on September 26 in London behind closed doors, but the unbeaten Scottish fighter revealed on Saturday that his dream fight would be at welterweight against eight-division champion and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao.

Southpaw Taylor, from the fishing town of Prestonpans, told Telegraph Sport on Saturday: “I’d love to share a ring with my hero, Manny Pacquiao. It would be my dream fight against another southpaw who I've watched avidly since I first took up boxing at the age of 13. He is a special fighter, and an inspiration."

"There are other great welterweights right now - Terence Crawford, Errol Spence, Shawn Porter - and I call it the 'sexy' division. The talent is so deep, it’s unbelievable. But Pacquiao is the man. First, though, I have to become undisputed champion at light welterweight."

That means the 29-year-old former Glasgow Commonwealth Games champion has to maintain his poise behind closed doors against the heavy-handed and, frankly, underrated Khongsong, before going on to a blockbuster with American Jose Ramirez, who is unbeaten in a 26-fight resume, and who holds the WBO and WBC 140lb belts.

Bob Arum, who promotes both Taylor and Ramirez, said that the undisputed fight between the Scotsman and the exciting Californian is already in the planning for late this year, potentially in Edinburgh, should Taylor prevail against the Thai challenger.

“I think outside the heavyweights and whoever Canelo fights, this is one of the biggest fights out there," Taylor said. "It’s the purest boxing fight. It’s not very often you get to fight for all the belts. I think it’s one of the biggest fights in the game right now. I’ve got my fight in a couple of weeks, I believe I’ll get through it, no doubt in my mind. My full focus is on that and I don’t really want to talk about Ramirez too much, but potentially that’s a massive fight.”

Taylor is now trained by Ben Davison, who helped bring heavyweight Tyson Fury back from the brink after a deep depression in 2016, and the Scotsman believes the 'Gypsy King' deserves No 1 status in the blue riband division.

“At the minute it’s the big man, Tyson Fury. I thought he won the first fight with Deontay Wilder - even with the late knockdown - and he dominated him in the second fight. It showed he’s unpredictable. That fight with Anthony Joshua has to happen, and soon. If it doesn’t happen it’s a joke. I see it 60/40 in favour of Fury. Boxing wise, I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat Fury. But Joshua is very good at combination fighting, a great finisher and very good at mid to short range. His uppercut, left cut and variation is good and he’s powerful all the way through. If Joshua catches him it could be game over. If he gets up, Joshua will jump in and try and finish him. It’s a very, very good fight and I think it has to happen sooner rather than later.”

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/unb...101116381.html

[Master]

Josh Taylor thankful for 11-month career lockdown ahead of Apinun Khongsong bout

Josh Taylor is adamant his 11-month career lockdown has done him the world of good as he prepares to return against unbeaten Thai Apinun Khongsong at York Hall in Bethnal Green on Saturday.

The unbeaten Scot can ill afford any slip-ups in defence of his WBA Super and IBF light-welterweight titles with a prospective unification clash against Jose Ramirez potentially awaiting next year.

The 29-year-old last laced on the gloves last October when he defeated Regis Prograis and returns with a new trainer in former Tyson Fury mentor Ben Davison as he fights under Bob Arum’s Top Rank banner for the first time.



Taylor said: “It was probably my first real break from boxing since I turned pro five years ago and it’s just been fight after fight and just grinding it out in training all the time.

“I’ve been relaxing and switching off from boxing, and it was a pretty good time to sit and reflect on what I’ve achieved in the sport in such a short space of time, and have a bit of pride in what I’ve done.

“I was able to have a little bit more time with Ben and get to know him.

“We clicked straight away and I think this chapter in my career is going to be even better than my first one.”

Despite boasting an unbeaten record, Khongsong is little known outside his home country and not expected to trouble Taylor, but the Scot will be taking no chances with such a big prize at stake.

Arum raised the prospect of staging a future showdown between Taylor and Ramirez in Taylor’s home city of Edinburgh, which gives the former Olympian even greater incentive to get the job done in style on Saturday.

“I’ve never done a fight in Edinburgh,” admitted Arum.

“Jose Ramirez said to me he doesn’t care where the fight is, where ever it’s economically better to do the fight.

“Whether that means Scotland or London or back in the United States, wherever the fight makes the most sense, the fight will happen.”

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/jos...194144447.html

[Master]

Josh Taylor exclusive interview: 'I can be really spiteful, that’s always been there'

"I'm a bad loser, a very bad loser.... always have been," explains Josh Taylor as he unwraps his hands after a beautiful display of shapes and angles in the ring. The lefty world champion is without doubt a fan-pleaser. The Scotsman's attitude, unshakeable self-belief and granite must be to the fore on Saturday night against knockout artist Apinun Khongsong as Taylor becomes the first world champion from the UK to defend a world title since lockdown began due to COVID-19.

It will be behind closed doors, of course, very different to the fights the 29 year old once had in the streets from Edinburgh to Prestonpans, the fishing town in East Lothian, from where he hails. They breed them tough there, where Taylor runs early in the morning and swims in the North Sea.

“I had to learn to stand up for myself, because I was small growing up. But everything I did as a kid, no matter what it was... it could be Snakes and Ladders with my younger sister and she’d beat me and the whole thing would be up in the air; sports days at school, football.... if we lost, I’d go crazy. For as long as I can remember I had to win, even on a pushbikes as kids."

"I’d go off in a huff. That’s been there since I can ever remember. I’m a bad loser, always have been. I want to win. I was super competitive. If I got beat, I’d get angry. I hated it. I wanted to play again until I won. The fight comes out, the nastiness, the spitefulness. I can be really spiteful, that’s always been there.”

Quite some admission, but boxing's dark underbelly forces folk to look at themselves. The dark side of Taylor has brought rays of light to his life, though. He got the boxing bug at 14 and travelled the 25 miles to Edinburgh to train in a gym four times a week. There were street fights, too, in his callow youth, before sense prevailed.



The skills, the discipline, the use of that 'dark will' has certainly brought him successes: he was a 2012 Olympian - I can recall him so bitterly disappointed giving interviews after being beaten in the Round of 16 - became a Commonwealth Games gold medallist in Glasgow in 2014 before rising over the last five years, undefeated in sixteen fights as a professional to hold the WBA and IBF super lightweight titles. He claimed them with a points decision at the World Boxing Super Series final in a brilliant, all-action thriller with Regis Prograis last year at the O2 Arena.

Taylor is without doubt one of the most skilled fighters in Britain, and is still rising. Initially with Barry McGuigan's Cyclone Promotions, he signed a deal with MTK Global and Bob Arum this year, and, although beginning the elite part of his career now, if he gets past Khongsong - who has thirteen knockouts from his sixteen career wins -Scotland could have undisputed champion to rival other greats such as Ken Buchanan and Ricky Burns, should he triumph against Jose Ramirez who holds the other two world title belts, the WBO and WBC baubles. Promoter Arum told me this week that staging the fight in Edinburgh, early next year, "will happen as long as long as the numbers add up". Little doubt the fans would come out for Taylor.

At home, there are no airs and graces. “I’m just Josh from Prestonpans. It’s brilliant. I really do love the place and the people there. It’s a hard place, a tough place but I love it. After runs I’ll swim. Only in the summer mind,” he added.

"I don’t think the competitiveness will ever leave me," he explained, adding that the reinforcement comes from both parents to 'be as he is'.



"They know I'm ultra competitive and could not be prouder. My dad is hard as nails, no nonsense. And that’s where I get it from, but he always said if you’re going to do something you have to do it with your full heart. He's right. It's a tough trade. My mum loves that I’m doing boxing and is the proudest woman alive. But I think she hates fight week and the fight. I can sense it, she’s a bag of nerves. I’m her baby boy," explained Taylor, as he readies himself for a silent arena at BT Sport's cavernous studios in Stratford with new trainer Ben Davison.

"I’m with the best team possible with MTK Global and Top Rank and anything is possible. Bob Arum has promoted the best in history and it's a privilege to know that if I perform I can showcase my skills and grow in both the UK and the USA. I’ve got to set new goals after I’m undisputed champion and that is to move up to 147lbs and challenge for another world title.

"I thought that move was a no brainier, especially thinking about wider goals. The Ramirez fight, Terence Crawford, they’re all Top Rank fighters, so they are easier fights to make." Taylor shadow boxes. "I just have to keep on winning. I can't afford to lose. I won't lose. I refuse to." That is what makes champions.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/jos...093953629.html

[Batman]

anyone watching this? I just caught the tail end of a no mark fight, young kid beat the journey man, this looks like a typical Warren card