Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez

[Rotten Apple]

Taylor problem making weight are a problem. I think Lopez beats him

[TIC]

[TitoFan]

https://www.ringtv.com/651992-xander...ez-co-feature/

Main Event: Josh Taylor (19-0-0, 13 KO) vs Teofimo Lopez (18-1-0, 13 KO) super lightweight
Co-Feature: Xander Zayas (15-0-0, 10 KO) vs Ronald Cruz (18-2-1, 12 KO) super welterweight

Also...

Henry Lebron (17-0-0, 10 KO) vs Christian Tapia (15-1-0, 12 KO) junior lightweight
Omar Rosario (10-0-0, 3 KO) vs Jan Carlos Rivera (8-1-0, 6 KO) junior welterweight
Bruce Carrington (7-0-0, 4 KO) vs TBA featherweight
Damian Knyba (11-0-0, 7 KO) vs TBA heavyweight

[Master]

Taylor following Buchanan to go 'down as one of the greats'

Josh Taylor has already made history. But he wants to go further and for him the next step is fighting Teofimo Lopez in New York on June 10.

Scotland's Taylor became the UK's first undisputed champion in the four-belt era when he beat Jose Ramirez in 2021 to unify the WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF super-lightweight titles.

He remains undefeated but vacated three of his four belts in pursuit of a rematch with Jack Catterall that ultimately did not materialise.

For Taylor it's another advance following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor, the late, great Ken Buchanan.

Buchanan, who passed away on April 1, was Taylor's predecessor as an undisputed world champion from Scotland.

"His story and my story are very similar. We've both got connections to Prestonpans and Edinburgh, the way he went away and fought and won all his titles, the way I went away and fought and won all my titles," Taylor told Sky Sports.

"Things that have happened in our lives are very similar to each other. So our paths are very, very similar.

"To be fighting [at Madison Square Garden] in a big fight on a world title show, it's just another pinch me moment, another moment that's really similar to his, to follow in his footsteps."

Buchanan was a fighter Taylor admired as a boxing legend and whom he knew well as a friend.

"He used to come into Lochend boxing gym quite a lot," Taylor said of Buchanan.

"I first met him at Lochend boxing gym and I didn't know it was him at first because I'd never met him before. He was giving me all these little tips and bits of advice on how to hit the bags and how to punch."

Lochend boxing coach Terry McCormack told Taylor who the man he'd just met really was.

Ken Buchanan at London's Heathrow airport after defence of his world lightweight crown against Panama's Ismael Laguna in New York.

"I said, 'Is it really? Oh my God, I can't believe I just met him. His face looked similar but I just never put two and two together.' He just walked in randomly one time," Taylor recalled. "That was the first time I actually met him face-to-face. I knew all about him.

"After that he kept coming to the gym and giving me pointers and tips, watching me fight, doing a little bit of boxing himself. I used to watch him and talk to him and listen to all his stories and his experiences, going away to Puerto Rico to fight and America to fight, sharing the dressing room with Muhammad Ali and all that kind of stuff.

"He gave me a lot of advice over the years and for him to turn round and say I could be world champion and do it just like him, for me to go away to Vegas and win the titles, and him to come back to my house after bringing the belts back.

"I said, 'I've done it just like you champ.' And he went, 'I told you, son' and he gave me a cuddle.

"These kind of things make me really, really proud of what I've achieved in the sport."

Buchanan in his time was famous for headlining at Madison Square Garden.

It all feeds into Taylor's determination to beat Lopez in New York this summer.

"All the big names from the past have boxed at Madison Square Garden," Taylor said. "When I first started boxing, my dad and my uncle always said, 'We better start saving, you're going to box at Madison Square Garden one day.'

"Here we are. Unfortunately my uncle passed away so he's not here to see me but he'll be here in spirit. It's absolutely amazing. Only a few short years ago we were dreaming about coming here and now we are here.

"I'll be using this fight as motivation both from my uncle and Ken Buchanan. My dad's best friend passed away as well recently. So I'll be using this fight as a huge, massive motivation to come out victorious and make sure there's a similar story and do Ken and the guys proud.

"This fight will be no different. This fight I'll be coming out and making this fight happen and win this fight for these guys and making them proud. I'm buzzing for it. I'm absolutely cheesing."

For him it's "another moment in history to be made".

"It's unbelievable. Sometimes I have to give myself a little pinch with the things I've achieved and done in the sport within a short period of time. I'm absolutely buzzing for this," Taylor said.

"It's a huge fight as well. [Lopez] is from Brooklyn so it's going to be a hostile environment. There's a lot of Scottish and Irish expats here as well so I'm going to have great support over here as well.

"I'm looking forward to it. I'm really excited for it."

Despite going undisputed and undefeated in only 19 professional fights, Taylor is convinced he has still more to accomplish.

"I've already created a history and created a legacy by becoming undisputed world champ but for me obviously now I've still got goals," he explained.

"This is one; fighting at Madison Square Garden in a world title fight. That's one ticked off. I want to become a two-weight world champion. Those are goals of mine as well.

"I've still got goals and ambitions I want to achieve in the sport to leave my own legacy and my own mark on the sport. So long when I'm gone my name is still there in the history books, it's going down as one of the greats in boxing history.

"I've definitely still got my own legacy to make and still got my own mark to leave. I've still got a lot of things to do that I want to achieve so I'm still hungry for that."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...e1d16c5d&ei=30

[Big J]

Taylor problem making weight are a problem. I think Lopez beats him

You could be right about Taylor's weight
I still think Taylor beats Lopez

[TIC]

i often wonder if teo hadn't tried to be cute with triller after the loma win, which lead to long delays if things might have gone differently. squandered the momentum from that win

[TIC]

jamaine has signed with top rank & will return on this card

[Master]

Teofimo Lopez has caused controversy among boxing fans on social media with his latest comments ahead of his fight vs Josh Taylor.

The former WBA, WBC 'franchise' IBF and WBO lightweight world champion is now up at super-lightweight and set for a world title shot in his new division on June 10th.

Champion Taylor previously held all four belts, but now just owns the WBO crown following a lengthy period of inactivity in the aftermath of his controversial win over Jack Catterall last year.

Regardless, the Lopez fight is highly anticipated by boxing fans, with the young challenger seemingly trying to up the stakes further in his latest interview.

Lopez caused outrage as he told Punsh Drunk Boxing: “No-one felt sorry for me when I was in the ICU after my fight [vs George Kambosos Jr].

"No-one said, 'Teofimo, wish you well, hope you're good.' No-one wrote to me.

"This is a kill or be killed sport. I mean someone just passed away [on] May 6th, a kid 22 years old just passed away.

"And I said it like it is, I wanna kill Josh Taylor.

"What the f*** does that mean? People are like, ‘Let’s get back to boxing.’ But that is boxing. That is what we sign up for.

"You’re probably going to lose your life. What does that mean?

"I mean if I’mma die in that ring, at least I'd die with some dignity and some integrity. I went out there like a warrior and the champs that we are.

"That’s what I know. That’s what I sign up for. Boxing today is the gladiator days back then.

"A lot of people don’t know that because they don’t know boxing.”

Lopez continued: “When I fought Vasyl Lomachenko, I took his heart.

“Taylor's got no heart, so what can I really take from this man? His life.

"The only way I’mma make a statement is by doing that.

"I’m not sorry about that.

"How do I scare people more than ever? Take a man's life."

As always when a fighter makes such comments, there has been backlash from boxing fans on social media.

One reacted by saying: "Such a tremendous fall from grace for Teo. Anyone talking about killing someone in the ring is a clown.

While a second replied: "What an idiotic statement."

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1...g-josh-taylor/

[TIC]

[Master]

"The way I think he's going to fight, we'll put him out of there early," Taylor told Sky Sports. "But if it goes the other way, which I think it might do as well, it'll be a boxing match, a clever boxing match but nothing that I'm going to be surprised with.

"I've watched him quite a bit in the lead up to this fight and I think I know what I'm expecting. But whatever he brings, I'm more than ready for.

"Having said that, the fighter that beat Lomachenko is the version of Teofimo Lopez that I'm preparing for; a very good fighter."

This will be Taylor's first fight with new trainer Joe McNally but the Scotsman is certain he will recover his best form after his contentious victory over Jack Catterall last time out.

"I've got - I've said it so many times - my mojo back. I feel like I've got it back. I just feel like I'm back to my old chirpy self. The way I was before in the lead up to the [Regis] Prograis fight. I feel I'm back to that kind of mentality. That sort of form as well," Taylor said.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...4f765f15&ei=14

[TIC]

[Ron Swanson]

None of my favorite TR undercard fighters are on this, anyone I should be looking forward to on this card, a particular fight or fighter?

[Master]

Taylor likes his presents which are blue trainer's left in his dressing room.

[Spicoli]

None of my favorite TR undercard fighters are on this, anyone I should be looking forward to on this card, a particular fight or fighter?

Xander Zayas at 154 is promising. Gets a decent spot vs Ronald Cruz tonight. Looks like they're trying to fast track him, kid has the charisma and talent but unfortunately has already had a couple fights fall out due to injury.

Bruce Shu Shu Carrington fought earlier. Real early but love his sharp shooting fluidity. Very composed.

[Spicoli]

Taylor likes his presents which are blue trainer's left in his dressing room.

I'm honestly thinking Teo needs some sort of intervention. They had a vid yesterday arguing with Dad in the middle about staying on topic. I do think Teo has a point on Bradley bias. Not his angle of being racial but more so on the mic. More and more Tim calls certain fights like he's posting on social media, looking for the ruckus.

I used to think Lamps has some bias, Bradley just comes flat out and says a guy is 'dog food' in the division he is fighting.