By Charles Brun: Josh Taylor has teamed up with trainer Ben Davison, and he plans on using his expert knowledge to unify the 140-lb division, and then move up to 147 to become a two-division world champion. We’ll see how long this partnership lasts.
Davison was an instrumental figure in bringing Tyson Fury back from a 400-lb blob to the doorstep of winning a world title. Unfortunately for Davison, Fury parted ways with him just as he was about to challenge for a world title against WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
The fans want to see Taylor focus on unification fights against Jose Ramirez, and then give Regis Prograis a rematch. Changing trainers is fine for Taylor, as long as it leads to him fighting the guys’ fans want to see. Taylor’s upcoming defense against little known IBF mandatory Apinun Khongsong is a major disappointment because there are a lot better fighters in the division this guy.
IBF/WBA light-welterweight champion Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) is someone that is already the finished product and isn’t much in need of a trainer like Davison, who is viewed as more of a defensive coach.
Taylor is defending his two titles against his IBF mandatory Khongsong on May 2 at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow. The fight will be streamed on ESPN+.
I am pleased finally announce that I am teaming up with and going to be training with @BenDavison_ in the next chapter of my career. Ben is a world class coach & is the best man for me to do the job. Om excited for what I this is going to be a very prosperous partnership πππΌπ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώπͺ pic.twitter.com/cmkHC3w0J4
β Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorBoxer) February 27, 2020
Taylor excited about new trainer Davison
“I’m going to be training with Ben Davison,” said Taylor to iFL TV. “I think he’s a great coach, and he trains Billy Joe Saunders as well. I think he’s the right match for me because he’s very knowledgeable about the sport, and I think he’ll suit my style as well. With the speed and the timing.
“He knows a lot about the game. He’s ahead of the game. He’s younger than me at 27. It’s crazy. He’s got a great head on him, and he’s very knowledgeable. I think he’s the right match for me moving forward at this point in my career. I just think because he trains Billy Joe Saunders with that same speed, footwork, and movement.
“That’s my kind of style. I checked with Adam Booth, and he was great as well. I just thought Ben was the right guy for me style-wise, the way he worked the pads, and also the training aspect. After we did a couple of sessions, it kind of clicked. I’m excited,” said Taylor.
Hopefully, Davison and Taylor can find success. Davison helped Fury, but was still dumped in the end. With Taylor barely beating Prograis, it’s possible he’ll lose to Jose Ramirez and Terence Crawford. The question is will Taylor still want Davison as his trainer when that happens?
Josh talks Ramirez and Prograis
“The Ramirez fight could possibly be in America as well or possibly here. You never know,” said Taylor about him wanting to fight Ramirez in Scotland. “One of the stadiums in Edinburg would be a dream come true. If I can get a Ramirez fight after this, I’ll be more than happy wherever it is.
“He’s bitter, and he lost his belt,” Taylor said of Prograis. “He obviously has someone in his ear telling him that he won the fight. He knows himself that he lost the fight fair and square. I watched the fight 4 or 5 times. It was a close fight, and we had a good dance together.
“Maybe later on down the line, we can get it one again, Taylor said of Prograis. “I want bigger and better things. In the meantime, he can build himself back up, and get himself back in contention. All of a sudden the excuses are coming. I knew it wouldn’t take him long. The character in him is to start making excuses,” said Taylor.
Ramirez’s promoters at Top Rank will likely try and set-up the fight with Taylor in the U.S rather than in Scotland. If the money is better in the UK, then Top Rank will stage it there, but it probably won’t be.
It’s not just people telling Prograis that they think he deserved the win in the Taylor fight. Prograis has maintained all along that he feels that he rated the win over Taylor last October. The reason Taylor is hearing more about it now is that the media keeps asking him about the fight. If the media weren’t constantly asking Prograis about his loss to Taylor, then he probably wouldn’t bother talking about it.
Taylor not interested in fighting Prograis again
“I don’t know what it is with Americans of late,” said continued Taylor in discussing Prograis. “They’re all making excuses. He lost the fight fair and square. I’d have more respect for him if he’d just accepted it. He’s lost a bit of respect every time he b—- and moans. It’s a good fight,” said Taylor about the Prograis vs. Maurice Hooker fight. “I haven’t seen much of Hooker.
“I saw a bit of him against Ramirez. He looks up and down straight without much variation to him,” Taylor said of Hooker. “I expect Prograis to come through that one with relative ease, and then he’ll be shouting for a rematch again. But I’m not interested in him anymore. I’m off to bigger and better things.
“I’ve got bigger fish to fry. In an ideal world, I beat the mandatory, and get him out of the way, beat Ramirez.,” Taylor said. “I think I can knock him out as well, and then move up or make a couple of voluntary defenses and then move up, and chase a second world title at a second weight. That would be the next goal because then I would have achieved all I can achieve at this weight, 140 by unifying all the belts,” said Taylor
If Taylor beats Jose Ramirez to unify the 140-lb division, then there would be no point in staying in the weight class. Taylor already said he’s not interested in fighting Prograis again. So if Taylor unifies the division, he’s better off moving up to 147 right away and going after WBO champion Terence Crawford. Given that Taylor is with Top Rank, which likely limits his choices in terms of the champions he can fight at welterweight. Crawford vs. Taylor will be an excellent fight.