SCOTTISH fighter Josh Taylor is “100 per cent” confident he can knock out undefeated Regis Prograis during their super-lightweight unification bout at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
Taylor won the IBF title in his last fight, while Prograis holds the WBA belt, while this bout is also the final of the division’s World Boxing Super Series for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.
With an impressive record of 15 wins from 15 fights, including 12 knock-outs, the Prestonpans-born boxer feels he can do the same against Prograis.
“One hundred per cent I feel like I can knock him out,” said Taylor. “I’m going in there to do a job on Saturday and I really believe I can lay him out cold.
“I just want to get in there and get it done there.”
The 28-year-old fighter was a Commonwealth Games gold medallist at Glasgow 2014 and has achieved notable victories against Ohara Davies, Miguel Vazquez, Viktor Postol and Ivan Baranchyk. He believes he can add Prograis to the list.
Taylor said, “I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, switched on. I know he’s a good fighter, he’s a world champion, so all these belts on the line are going to bring out the best of me. So he’s going to get it on Saturday night.”
New Orleans fighter Prograis insisted he was better than Taylor in every aspect ahead of his first bout in the UK.
The American came over three weeks before the fight to adapt, and said, “The UK fans have been embracing me, I feel like I’m home. I feel like, I’m normal, I’m a home fighter or something.
“It was a great thing for me to come over here in the three weeks because I got adjusted to the time, the weather, the culture, the people, everything. So now I feel like I’m very comfortable here and that’s the main reason I came [early] to feel comfortable here.”
When asked about his opponent, Prograis added, “I don’t think he’s better than me in nothing, but he’s good.
“Even before the tournament started I felt like Josh Taylor is the best in the world at 140 pounds after me and I’m going to prove it on Saturday.
“This fight, it won’t change nothing.”
Read the in depth Boxing News feature with Regis Prograis here
