SM
Watford vs. Oxford Utd: 7 hrs 17 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Josh Taylor: 'I have reached my destiny'

:Headline: Josh Taylor: 'I have reached my destiny':
Josh Taylor joins Oleksandr Usyk, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Josh Taylor and Terence Crawford in securing the clean sweep.
Sports Mole

Undisputed world super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor felt he had reached his destiny after making British boxing history.

Taylor floored Jose Ramirez twice in Las Vegas to score a unanimous points victory and become only the fifth man and the first Briton to claim the WBO, WBA, IBF and WBC titles simultaneously since the four-belt era officially began in 2004.

The Scot knocked Ramirez down in consecutive rounds and felt his victory had been more emphatic than the 114-112 scores awarded by all three judges.

Taylor joins Oleksandr Usyk, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and Terence Crawford in securing the clean sweep and is the first Scot to be undisputed world champion since Ken Buchanan returned from Los Angeles with two belts 50 years ago.

Josh Taylor shows off his belts (John Locher/AP)

Both he and Ramirez had put two titles and unbeaten records on the line while Taylor also retained the Ring Magazine belt.

"This has been 15 years in the making, dedicating my life to the sport, putting everything on hold, my social life, things I wanted to do with my friends, my family, my fiancee, things I have missed out on. It has all been geared to this moment, and it has finally paid off," said Taylor after his 18th professional fight.

"I don't feel surprised, I really don't feel surprised that I am undisputed champion. But it has not sunk in yet."

Taylor withstood some heavy shots in the third and fourth rounds before catching Ramirez with a counter left hook in the sixth.

An uppercut in the latter stages of the seventh rocked Ramirez further and Taylor controlled the fight in the following rounds before keeping out of the way of his Californian opponent's attempts to land a late knockout.

"He left himself open, he put his head down and I took a step back and hit him with the upper-cut," Taylor said. "I actually think the referee gave him too much time, that should have been fight over.

"He was very, very tough, hats off to Ramirez. But after I put him down, the fight was on my terms. I just stood and boxed and he didn't know what to do."

Taylor apologised to Ramirez after getting into fight mode during the first face-off and weigh-in.

"It was all just part of the mind games to get inside his head to make him more eager to jump in on me, to use his aggression against him," the Prestonpans fighter said.

"It worked perfectly, I walked him into some good shots.

"I have nothing but love and respect for Ramirez, he was a great champion and a great ambassador for the sport, I wish him all the best for the future."

Taylor could now be set to fight Chorley's Jack Catterall, who had been the mandatory challenger for the WBO belt that Ramirez put on the line, but he is eager to create more history.

"We will see what comes my way, I am not going to be short of options," the 30-year-old said. "Every fight is going to be huge. I will just ride the wave.

Josh Taylor celebrates (John Locher/AP)

"I would like to go up to 147 and chase some big fights like Terence Crawford. I am not going to call him out, he is a great fighter, but two undisputed champions going at it would be awesome.

"There's big fights at 140. I am not afraid to fight anybody. We might have to fight Catterall first as well, he agreed to step aside to let this fight happen.

"I've not boxed in my home city for a few years so I would love to take a big fight back to Scotland. Now is the time to get that fight at Edinburgh Castle or Easter Road."

Taylor added: "I still don't feel I have reached my full potential. Until I feel I don't think I could do any better, I am going to keep going and going. I am hungry for more."

body check tags ::

amp_article__448704 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-05-23 08:27:12:
html db last update - 2021-05-23 08:27:12 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Josh Taylor

Share this article now:
JT
Read Next:
Josh Taylor in no rush to step up to welterweight
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Josh Taylor Boxing
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Josh Taylor in no rush to step up to welterweight
Major transfer boost: Man United 'given encouragement' in pursuit of Gyokeres

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Eleven changes, will Palmer be one of them? Chelsea predicted XI against Arsenal

1

EC

Preview: Chelsea vs. Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PC

Will Palmer return? Chelsea injury, suspension list vs. Arsenal

NEW

3

WP

Rice question answered, will Odegaard start? Arsenal predicted XI against Chelsea

4

RQ

Chelsea vs. Arsenal: Head-to-head record and past meetings

5

CV

Win comes at a cost: Man United suffer fresh injury blow vs. PAOK

6

WC

Felix, Nkunku net brace as Chelsea run rampant in demolition of FC Noah

7

FN

Have Palmer, Rice made the cut? Lee Carsley's final England squad revealed!

8

HP

Preview: Crystal Palace vs. Fulham - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PC

Messi MVP quest continues, but will Busquets play? Inter Miami predicted XI vs. Atlanta

10

MM


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .