Josh Taylor inspired to follow Ken Buchanan and go ‘down as one of the greats in boxing history’ | Boxing News

Josh Taylor has already made history. But he wants to go further and for him the next step is fighting Teofimo Lopez in New York on June 10.

Scotland’s Taylor became the UK’s first undisputed champion in the four-belt era when he beat Jose Ramirez in 2021 to unify the WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF super-lightweight titles.

He remains undefeated but vacated three of his four belts in pursuit of a rematch with Jack Catterall that ultimately did not materialise.

But after recovering from an injury he will fight Teofimo Lopez for the WBO super-lightweight world championship at the Madison Square Garden Theatre, live on Sky Sports.

For Taylor it’s another advance following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor, the late, great Ken Buchanan.

Buchanan, who passed away on April 1, was Taylor’s predecessor as an undisputed world champion from Scotland.

“His story and my story are very similar. We’ve both got connections to Prestonpans and Edinburgh, the way he went away and fought and won all his titles, the way I went away and fought and won all my titles,” Taylor told Sky Sports.

“Things that have happened in our lives are very similar to each other. So our paths are very, very similar.

“To be fighting [at Madison Square Garden] in a big fight on a world title show, it’s just another pinch me moment, another moment that’s really similar to his, to follow in his footsteps.”

Buchanan was a fighter Taylor admired as a boxing legend and whom he knew well as a friend.

“He used to come into Lochend boxing gym quite a lot,” Taylor said of Buchanan.

“I first met him at Lochend boxing gym and I didn’t know it was him at first because I’d never met him before. He was giving me all these little tips and bits of advice on how to hit the bags and how to punch.”

Lochend boxing coach Terry McCormack told Taylor who the man he’d just met really was.

“I said, ‘Is it really? Oh my God, I can’t believe I just met him. His face looked similar but I just never put two and two together.’ He just walked in randomly one time,” Taylor recalled. “That was the first time I actually met him face-to-face. I knew all about him.

“After that he kept coming to the gym and giving me pointers and tips, watching me fight, doing a little bit of boxing himself. I used to watch him and talk to him and listen to all his stories and his experiences, going away to Puerto Rico to fight and America to fight, sharing the dressing room with Muhammad Ali and all that kind of stuff.

“He gave me a lot of advice over the years and for him to turn round and say I could be world champion and do it just like him, for me to go away to Vegas and win the titles, and him to come back to my house after bringing the belts back.

“I said, ‘I’ve done it just like you champ.’ And he went, ‘I told you, son’ and he gave me a cuddle.

“These kind of things make me really, really proud of what I’ve achieved in the sport.”

Buchanan in his time was famous for headlining at Madison Square Garden.

It all feeds into Taylor’s determination to beat Lopez in New York this summer.

“All the big names from the past have boxed at Madison Square Garden,” Taylor said. “When I first started boxing, my dad and my uncle always said, ‘We better start saving, you’re going to box at Madison Square Garden one day.’

“Here we are. Unfortunately my uncle passed away so he’s not here to see me but he’ll be here in spirit. It’s absolutely amazing. Only a few short years ago we were dreaming about coming here and now we are here.

“I’ll be using this fight as motivation both from my uncle and Ken Buchanan. My dad’s best friend passed away as well recently. So I’ll be using this fight as a huge, massive motivation to come out victorious and make sure there’s a similar story and do Ken and the guys proud.

“This fight will be no different. This fight I’ll be coming out and making this fight happen and win this fight for these guys and making them proud. I’m buzzing for it. I’m absolutely cheesing.”

For him it’s “another moment in history to be made”.

“It’s unbelievable. Sometimes I have to give myself a little pinch with the things I’ve achieved and done in the sport within a short period of time. I’m absolutely buzzing for this,” Taylor said.

“It’s a huge fight as well. [Lopez] is from Brooklyn so it’s going to be a hostile environment. There’s a lot of Scottish and Irish expats here as well so I’m going to have great support over here as well.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’m really excited for it.”

Despite going undisputed and undefeated in only 19 professional fights, Taylor is convinced he has still more to accomplish.

“I’ve already created a history and created a legacy by becoming undisputed world champ but for me obviously now I’ve still got goals,” he explained.

“This is one; fighting at Madison Square Garden in a world title fight. That’s one ticked off. I want to become a two-weight world champion. Those are goals of mine as well.

“I’ve still got goals and ambitions I want to achieve in the sport to leave my own legacy and my own mark on the sport. So long when I’m gone my name is still there in the history books, it’s going down as one of the greats in boxing history.

“I’ve definitely still got my own legacy to make and still got my own mark to leave. I’ve still got a lot of things to do that I want to achieve so I’m still hungry for that.”