Josh Taylor chases Scottish boxing history in Las Vegas

In Prestonpans, Scotland, the story started with a coincidence.

Josh Taylor’s first boxing trainer was Raymond Buchanan, chosen because he was a friend of Taylor’s mom. At the start, Taylor had no idea that his trainer’s dad was Ken Buchanan, Scotland’s last undisputed boxing champion.

Taylor began training with the younger Buchanan and soon was introduced to the former champion. As a teenager, Taylor’s talent was obvious to Ken Buchanan, who told him that one day he’d also be a world champion.

That day could come Saturday night at the Virgin Theater in Las Vegas, when Taylor (17-0, 13 knockouts) attempts to become Scotland’s first four-belt undisputed champion against fellow titlist Jose Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs). It’s a fight that he’s been building toward for his entire career, and one that’s been circled on boxing fans’ calendars as one of 2021’s best.

“There’s a huge piece of history to be made,” Taylor, the IBF and WBA junior welterweight champion, said. “It really leaves my name in history and cements my legacy as one of the all-time Scottish and British great fighters. I’m really, really motivated for this fight.”

It will only be Taylor’s third junior welterweight title defense, just two years after he beat Ivan Baranchyk to win the IBF version of the title. He followed that up with an impressive majority decision victory over Regis Prograis in October 2019, overcoming a horrific cut over his right eye to dispel the American, unify his title and win the World Boxing Super Series tournament.

After the Prograis fight, he met again with the elder Buchanan.

“He said ‘I’m glad that you’ve proved me right, son. … Well done.’ ”

“I said, ‘Yeah, I’ve just got one more, a couple more belts to get, one more person to beat and I’ll be just like you.’ ”

After beating Prograis, Taylor connected with Ben Davison, who used to train WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. He knocked out the overmatched Apinun Khongsong in September in his first fight under Davison, who said he’s seen marked improvement since he began manning Taylor’s corner.

“Just all around,” Davison said. “Obviously, working with myself, just developing his skill set. I would say all around, he’s improved in every department.”

Taylor knows what he’s up against in Ramirez, and he’s been respectful in the lead-up to the fight. Ramirez won his first world title in 2018 and has defended it four times, including a hugely impressive title unification knockout of Maurice Hooker just a few months before Taylor fought Prograis.

The winner will be just the fifth man to hold all four title belts and the second junior welterweight after Terence Crawford did it in 2017. There’s a lot waiting for the man who gets his hand raised at the end of the night – a potential move up to welterweight against Crawford, a battle with Jose Zepeda, who fights Hank Lundy in Saturday’s co-feature or a showdown with a number of young stars who plan to move up from 135 pounds.

Win, lose or draw, the 30-year-old will return to Scotland and spend time with Buchanan, who he hasn’t seen since that meeting after the Prograis fight. He’s hoping, though, that this time they’ll be connected by something special – an undisputed championship.

It will also be the first fight with fans in Las Vegas since the COVID-19 pandemic started, which Taylor is very excited about. He’s disappointed there won’t be more than the 800 expected due to capacity limits, even though he knows the crowd will probably be rooting for Ramirez, who hails from California’s Central Valley.

“If they’re against me, I know they’ll boo me in but they’ll cheer me out,” he said. “Because I’m going to win this fight.”

Contact Jonah Dylan at jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @TheJonahDylan on Twitter.