FORMER world champion Barry McGuigan admits there is an element of risk involved in matching Josh Taylor with Hungarian Adam Mate in the Edinburgh boxer’s second professional bout at Meadowbank Sports Centre tonight.
But the Irishman considers it a gamble well worth taking after describing the Commonwealth Games gold medallist as perhaps the most exciting prospect he has had since turning his hand to management and ring promotion.
“I have had guys in the gym who I thought were real prospects but I don’t know if I’ve had a better kid than this,” McGuigan said of the light welterweight. “Josh ticks all the boxes. He has talent and he is a tremendous puncher, the way he hits them on the button.
“This game is so much about placing your shots and being efficient and Josh puts so much pressure on his opponent that we call him the Tartan Tornado.
“Mate is very experienced and putting Josh in against a fighter of that calibre at this stage is a bit of a bold statement, but we have that sort of belief in him.
“He has been sparring with top light middleweights and welterweights and looked amazing. He is a 140lb fighter who is punching at least two divisions above his weight and hitting those guys so hard some of them don’t come back to the gym.
“The one I compare him to is Amir Khan. He is fast and engaging and wants to take you on. He also likes to be in exciting fights, he doesn’t want journeymen to blow away.”
Hall of Fame fight trainer Nacho Beristain, who has worked with several ring legends including Juan Manuel Marquez and Oscar De La Hoya, also rates Taylor extremely highly.
The 76-year-old Mexican was apparently “blown away” by the Scot when he watched the 24-year-old go through his paces in the gym before his winning debut against Archie Weah in Texas three months ago, according to McGuigan.
“After watching Josh on the pads Nacho said he was a sure-shot top fighter, and that’s the opinion of a man who has had a whole host of world champions and is not easily impressed,” McGuigan said.
“Josh also sparred a guy in El Paso who was around 164lbs and his opponent lasted only two rounds. Josh punched holes in him to the extent that the guy’s trainer exclaimed, ‘Oh, my God’.”
Taylor insists that the injury to his left hand that required surgery 12 months ago is no longer an issue.
“My hand feels awesome now,” he added. “I was out for four or five months, but I’m hitting the pads full on harder than I ever did and it’s full steam ahead now.”
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