This country has never seen a world super lightweight (light welterweight) contest on this scale, a unique occasion that means so much to the winner.
Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis, undefeated world champions in a unification bout for the Ring and World Boxing Super Series titles, as well as the IBF and WBA straps.
I don’t see how this fight cannot be exceptional and it catapults the winner into the highest bracket of pound-for-pound fighters.
Prograis is world class and comes with a fearsome reputation. But here’s why I believe that Taylor will beat him.
They have both fought and beaten three former world champions but my contention is Taylor has been in with the more driven, hungry opponents.
Prograis stopped Julius Indongo but only after he had been eviscerated by Terence Crawford.
Once a fighter is Ko’d like Indongo was that night he is never the same again.
Prograis then beat Terence Flanagan, but, with the greatest respect to Terry, it was a fight on the American’s terms.
It was in New Orleans, the kid’s back yard. He was a far more comfortable opponent than Taylor will be.
And then he faced off against Kiyrl Relikh, who insiders say was more than 40 pounds above the weight limit two months out. Relikh wasn’t training to fight as much as make the weight.
Taylor dealt with the experienced Miguel Vazquez, who made six successful defences of the IBF belt and was on a run of four unbeaten.
He then fought Viktor Postol, which was a real acid test. Postol had lost only once, on points to Crawford. He came to win after a long training camp.
Taylor had to show grit and championship class. He was hit with a good shot in the seventh. He responded and finished like a champion dropping Postol in the 10th.
Then he beat a young, unbeaten IBF champion Ivan Baranchyk, a hard hitter who had run through his previous opponents.
Taylor showed real skill under pressure, coming through brilliantly against hungrier opponents.
All that aside Taylor is special. He has incredible drive and adaptability. He is quick and a hard puncher with impressive rotational speed if not the single punch power of Prograis. More than anything else he believes 100 per cent he wins this fight. He doesn’t care what Prograis brings.
Plus Prograis is out of his comfort zone, fighting abroad for the first time. He’s been here three weeks, hates the weather, etc. Let’s see how he copes.
This is Taylor’s moment, a huge opportunity for him in a tough fight. But he is ready.
We will be witness to history at the O2. All Taylor has to do is win.
- Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone , @McGuigans_Gym , @CyclonePromo
