Josh Taylor wants 'iconic' Edinburgh fight next
Monday 28 October 2019 16:50, UK
Josh Taylor wants his next fight to be in his hometown of Edinburgh or America after defeating Regis Prograis to become Britain's only current two-belt world champion on Saturday.
Taylor won a majority decision against Pograis to add the WBA super-lightweight title to his IBF gold, claiming the World Boxing Super Series and Muhammad Ali Trophy.
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The 28-year-old admits fighting in the USA is a dream of his, but is keen for his next bout to be in the Scottish capital as he aims to become undisputed world champion.
Taylor said: "I'd love to go to America and fight. That's one of the main dreams of almost every other fighter who would love to go to America and see their name in the MGM Grand, Las Vegas up in bright lights or in Madison Square Gardens.
"But now that I've got the titles I do think I've got a bit of pulling power with where the next fight's going to be.
"I would really, really love it to be in either Edinburgh Castle in the middle of the summer or at Easter Road [home of Hibernian FC].
"That would just be brilliant, but obviously it would have to be in the summer because you just never know with the Scottish weather.
"It would just be iconic, I don't think Scotland would have seen anything like that, an undisputed world title fight for all the belts, Scotland's never seen it so I would love it to be on home soil."
'I'm on cloud nine'
Taylor has had just 16 fights since turning professional in 2015 and his rise has been meteoric since being eliminated from the London 2012 Olympics as an amateur.
The feeling of being a unified world champion has still not registered with the Scotsman, but he believes he will acknowledge his incredible achievement once he watches Saturday's showdown at the O2 in London.
Taylor said: "I'm on cloud nine. It still hasn't fully sunk in what I've done and what I've achieved. I've not seen the fight back yet either. My mum's got it saved on the TV.
"I'll go and watch it and see what I think of it and that's when it will probably sink in, when I see the whole atmosphere on the telly and what it looks like on the screen. That's when I'll realise what I've done"
"I feel like I'm a million miles ahead of where I thought I would be this early on in my career. 16 fights and unified world champion, two belts, ring magazine, Muhammad Ali Trophy, it's just unbelievable.
"I thought it would be another couple of years at least before fighting for unified titles. I thought I'd be world champion pretty soon but not as soon as this.
"It's been a whirlwind four years. It's just been a rapid uphill rise to where I am now and I couldn't have planned it better myself really. It's just been amazing."
Jose Ramirez next?
The boxer with the other two world titles in the super-lightweight division is Jose Ramirez. The unbeaten Californian holds the WBC and WBO belts so a fight with Taylor would crown an undisputed champion.
Taylor added: "The fight I want next is to go for all the belts against Jose Ramirez from America, he's got the other two belts.
"I want to chase that fight and become the first [Scottish] undisputed world champion since the great Ken Buchanan.
"That's a goal of mine, but for now I think it's time for a rest and recharge the batteries because I've had a hard 18 months.
"The last four fights have been against world class and tough opponents so I think I deserve a little bit of a break now to relax and enjoy some time off with my family and a bit of time at home."
