JOSH TAYLOR announced himself on the British boxing scene in spectacular style at the Meadowbank sports centre in Edinburgh on Saturday. Taking on Dave Ryan, a tough, seasoned operator, Taylor won the Commonwealth super-lightweight title inside five rounds on a raucous night in his home city. This was only his seventh professional bout. He has won all of them inside the distance.
Taylor got straight to work in the first round, moving easily, sharp. His southpaw left darted through Ryan’s guard, jolting the veteran. Josh’s defensive was good, either slipping clear of punches or blocking them with his gloves.
Ryan had to get himself into the fight and came forward off the ropes, hacking at Taylor, a burst of aggression before the end of the second round.
In the third round Taylor’s back hand left tapped the body and he hooked the same fist quickly to the head. A stunning blow, it dropped Dave to the canvas. The Scotsman did not rush to try and close out the bout there and then. He kept patient and it was Ryan who waded forward into him, fighting now to try to relieve some of the pressure.
In the fourth round Josh turned him to ropes and hammered his lead right hook round Ryan’s guard. Taylor slipped a Ryan cross to throw a lovely countering left uppercut. Just as the bell rang to end the session Taylor winded Dave with a wickedly fast straight left to the body.
Ryan pushed himself on to the front foot to start the fifth round. Josh however drove him into a corner, keeping the pressure on Dave. Taylor threw a one-two to tee up a vicious right hook to body.
He hit that right hook again. The shot scraped deep into Ryan’s body. It stole the air from his lungs and dropped Dave to a knee. The “Tartan Tornado” unleashed blurring punches, drumming his fists against the body, Josh hammered away and referee Michael Alexander stepped in to end it.
“I didn’t feel any pressure,” Josh smiled. “I just enjoyed every minute of it and soaked it all in.”
With that stunning performance, Taylor is most definitely a boxer to watch.
Andrew Selby, another superbly talented professional newcomer, won on the bill. Andrew is already the British champion. This, only his sixth pro bout, was an international contest against Felix Moncada. Boxing with his familiar flair, Selby halted the Nicaraguan in five rounds. It was scheduled for 10.
