“Return Absolute or final defeat?”, – WRITE: Sport.ua
Not the last chance for Josh to return to the ring victory and get a new chance. But will it work out?
Taylor does not win for years. This time will meet with a rival who is experiencing a wonderful career period.
Josh Taylor collapsed his actions by the absolute world champion immediately after gaining such a status. No wonder they say that it is not as difficult to win a belt or title as to keep it.
In 2018, the Scottish defeated Victor Postol. Later, he entered the super series with two victories over the undefeated boxers Ryan Martin and Ivan Baranchik and reached the finals. There he met another undefeated fighter Regis Rapereys.
The match was cool. Taylor went home with a huge hematoma, but with victory and almost all the championship belts. Well, we will not forget about the Mohammed Ali Cup too.
The Thai invincible boxer, which Taylor knocked out, was further, and finally the duel for the absolute championship. For the absolute, Josh fought in 2021 against Jose Carlos Ramirez – caused the first defeat in his career. It is noticeable that Ramirez could not invent anything against this opponent at all, going to the knockdowns.
Getty Images/Global Images Ukraine. And then everything ended. Jack Ketterolla’s confrontation in 2022 was already looking bad. For some reason, Taylor did not have time for his opponent, as if he had lost strength and motivation at least to do something and to work somehow. The duel passed in Glasgow, as far as further, and Josh won very close. Then he did not win.
Then there was a loss of titles because of unwillingness to protect them and meet the requirements of organizations. And after that he lost the last belt that remained in his arms – WBO. He was taken by Taylor Theophimo Lopez, who simply hopped the Scottish.
The return also did not happen. The rematch against Ketterolla looked like a contradictory idea, so the second time Jack was even easier. Ketterolle won, and from there, Taylor did not go out in the ring. And he did not win – until 2022.
At the same time, Josh tells about weight for a long time. Even before the meeting with Theophimo and the loss of the titles that gave him the status of absolute world champion, the Scottish told him that he would like to try himself in the middle category. At that time, he was also interested in confrontation against Terens Crawford, who was just an absolute. Meeting of two current absolutes, collisions of styles.
The transition will still happen, but not then, under the conditions that Taylor once calculated. Essuman – not Crawford, but Scotland – not the one before.
Getty Images/Global Images Ukraine. For the first time and last IVU lost in 2023 – in the battle against Harry Parkff, who boxed with Ukrainian Karen Chukharang. All other confrontations of Essuman won and, as for 36 years, is an extremely active fighter. Conducts several matches a year, in 2024 he won two undefeated fighters and causes many strokes-it is much more active in this regard with a boxer than Taylor.
So the debut in the new category for Taylor is interesting. In general, it is unclear what to expect from him. Despite the fact that he did not lose since 2022, and in the ring against Theophimo Lopez, he suggest a pogrom than a close defeat, Josh was not a failure.
For example, in the ring against Ketterolla Taylor, in general looked good. Yes, he did not have time for the opponent, played episodes and rounds. However, it was not terrible.
Perhaps the thing is really in weight. Of course, not all the problems are, but some can really be localized more conveniently. Just this confrontation has to answer the question: is there anything else in the present Taylor that can be returned from the past?
Who is the favorite?
Bookmakers have a favorite. The former absolute champion can be put with a factor of 1.28. On Esumean – with a factor of 3.70.
This is a logical choice, but Josh will not necessarily win. Logical because he is a more versatile boxer with more experience, more serious victories and status. And also because he will box at home, where even a close battle against Ketterolla was given to him.
However, Essuman can win. He is a strong boxer, has extremely good skills. It causes many blows, presses, makes rivals retreat and mistaken. And he was used to boxing in the middle category, unlike Taylor. He goes to a series of victories, unlike an opponent. And at the age of 36, he has a wonderful chance at the end of his career to earn well and win a loud victory.
What to expect from Taylor is the main intrigue. Fast on the legs and the accurate Josh should disassemble such an opponent. However, we saw such a Scottish in 2021. After that, he can not squeeze the maximum and deal with his opponent.
Or, perhaps, this is its maximum. And on May 25, we will finally get the final answer.