An article about his ambitions as a boxer on the front page. He says that he could go down to 135 to fight Lopez. It seems unlikely that would happen. 140 is where it should happen but if he goes down to 135 it would be very dangerous. Taylor looks big for a lightwelter. I can see the idea of wanting to become a 3 weight world champion but I wouldn't advise it at all. I would think he should fight ramirez and then either stay at the weight and fight Lopez or go up and fight kell Brook or amir Khan. Then onto the champions in the division Spence and Crawford.
Pointless fighting Shell Brook or Amir Con as he needs a proper 2-3 tests before he goes near the top of that division.
I thought he was in a race against time to get Ramirez because he'd naturally be moving up a weight. Think I read someone on here say he's making weight ok at the moment so that may be inaccurate, but the idea of him dropping down sounds bizarre bordering on unsafe?
I don't think Taylor should move back down, he boxed at 60 kgs (lightweight) at the 2012 London Olympics and what a body transformation since. He would be drained against Lopez after the halfway point and surely fall away in the contest. Unify against Ramirez then move up for a belt at 147lbs seems the sensible choice.
Sod fighting those 2 at 147, he can go straight in with anybody at 147. He might need one fight to get his ranking but he doesn't need to waste time and camps on hasbeens or B level fighters.
Josh hasn't fought at 135lbs in an awfully long time. It certainly wouldn't be advisable moving down to lightweight, especially now as he has a chance to become undisputed at 140lbs. If they can get the undisputed clash out of the way early this year, I can see Josh going to 147lbs possibly later this year.
I’d rather see him fight Ramirez, maybe a prograis rematch and a few title defences to be honest. Great talent and champion but sometimes these guys move up a weight class too soon and that’s their career tainted
He will be looking at these baby lightweights getting loads of hype and thinking I would manhandle any of them no problemo but he couldn't make 135 barring starvation and illness so it's not going to happen.dont think he should be in rush to move up either if he's still doing 140 o.k which he probably is considering his energy levels in fights.welterweight is a bit of a pbc shitshow at the minute and he will no doubt be shoehorned into a fight with Crawford and then be in limbo like Crawford.if I was top rank I would be sending Taylor and Ramirez up after they fight and going down the WBC,WBA,IBF routes to try get a belt and then look at Crawford.Seems a smart move to me.
Going down to 135 would be absolutely insane, I hope that doesn't happen. Taylor is the man at 140, 147 could be there for the taking in a year or so too, those guys are either getting old or needing to move up, he could potentially boss that division.
I just hope Taylor isn't overlooking Ramirez - whilst I make Josh favourite, he still has to be 100% on point and bring his A-game. Going to 135 sounds pretty bonkers, i'd more be thinking that he can let Lopez come up for a super-fight, can't see Lopez staying at 135 for much longer. I'd really like to see him go up to 147 and think he gives anyone in that division serious problems, without necessarily winning, he's not an easy night's work even for Crawford or Spence (see Ugas tweet on Taylors body shots...) I'd also like to see Prograis go up to 147 and maybe him Taylor have a rematch - the 1st fight was close, and a top quality scrap!
Moving down to 135 would be a bad move, I think it takes too much out of him and isn't worth the risk. Focus on the job ahead against Ramirez at 140, I think he wins that fight and he's then effectively "completed" the division. I think given his size/frame, he would be comfortable settling in at 147 straight off the bat and then that allows for some fantastic fights to be made. He's a superbly talented fighter that in the realms of the 'casual world' should be a household name however has so far gone under the radar.
Taylor should unify, then defend against Teo in an unprecedented battle of undisputed champions. It won't happen, obviously, it never works out like that, but how ****ing great would that be? The best, semi-realistic plan for Taylor, IMO, is that he should focus on getting a mandatory (or top contender, since I don't think his next mandatories have been called yet) out of the way, vs either Barrios, Paro, Ritson or Puello and then go for Ramirez later on this year. If he's still making 140 fine, which I have no reason to doubt, he is 30 and not struggling right now, he should either look to get one of the new bucks from 135 in the ring with him (they'll be moving up soon, they can't make 135 forever, they're young and huge drainers) and if not, go for a Prograis rematch. Then maybe plan na move up to WW in 2022 or 2023. If he wins all of those fights, which is entirely possible, he'll go down as one of the British greats.
I know what you mean. I just thought move up and have 1 to see how he is at the weight. Khan and Brook would make him decent money, while he finds his feet. He might walk through them. I wouldn't go straight in with spence or Crawford though. He could possibly fight a Danny garcia after that and then go in for spence or Crawford. The landscape changes all the time. By this time the top 2 might have fought each other.
