WITH just over a few weeks to go until his next fight Josh Taylor has described himself as a fighter “reborn”.
The super-lightweight champion takes on Teofimo Lopez at the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York on June 10.
It will be Taylor’s first appearance in 16 months since his much talked about fight against Jack Catterall in Glasgow. The Scot was awarded a split decision which many believed was the wrong result on the night.
“Last time I had a lack of discipline and motivation and never prepared well. And it’s that old saying, ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ and I almost did fail the last one,” he told Sky Sports.
“A little bit of complacency had crept in. I felt like I’d just climbed Mount Everest [after beating Jose Ramirez] and went out and enjoyed life a little bit too much. Ate a bit too much food, drank a little bit too much, a bit too much pizza. Never took it seriously and I’ve learnt that lesson. I’m back to how I was before I won the titles.”
Last October Taylor 19-0 (13) announced that Joe McNally would be his new trainer after leaving Ben Davison.
Training in Liverpool with McNally and Declan O’Rourke alongside gym-mates Liam Smith, Caoimhin Agyarko, JJ Metcalf and more has made the world of difference to Taylor.
“I feel brand new, reborn again now I’m back here with Joe and Declan. I feel like I’ve found myself again. I’m firing on all cylinders and can’t wait to go in a few weeks time.
“I’m back to my old chirpy self. I feel like I was drifting away from what my style was and picking up a few bad habits and sort of getting stuck between styles.”
Taylor v Lopez carries all the potential to be a fantastic fight and Taylor is raring to go and touchdown in America for what could be a tempestuous fight week.
“It’ll be quite exciting that’s for sure, but it’s fights like this that keep me excited in the game. Given what I’ve achieved over 19 fights I need fights that are going to get the fire in my belly and butterflies. It keeps the motivation going and the hunger going. And boxing at Madison Square Garden is where everyone dreams of boxing, and I’ve always said that I want to box there one day. Unbelievable. I’m buzzing to get over there and get stuck in amongst it.”
