Undisputed world champion Josh Taylor is relishing a Scottish homecoming bout before a full house after his “tainted” win over Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas.
Taylor, who made history by becoming the first Briton to unify a division in the four-belt era with victory over Ramirez, will face Jack Catterall at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on 18 December.
A vastly reduced crowd in Vegas – with no UK fans allowed – witnessed Taylor’s epic super-lightweight win.
“I’m absolutely buzzing,” he said.
“I can’t wait to get back to the Hydro, my second home, and put on a show for everyone.
“The Ramirez fight was kind of tainted and tarnished for because I couldn’t take my family, friends and fanbase with me. So it doesn’t go down as my best memory or achievement because there was no one there to share it with me.”
Englishman Catterall, 28, the WBO mandatory challenger, stepped aside to allow the Ramirez fight to happen and now gets a shot at all four belts against the 30-year-old champion, who has 13 knockouts in his 18-0 record.
The Hydro holds a special place in Taylor’s affections. It was where he won Commonwealth Games gold in 2014 and has hosted half of his fights since he turned professional the following year.
However, Taylor has not fought in Scotland in his three bouts since defeating Ivan Baranchyk at the Hydro in May 2019 to win the IBF crown, his first world title.
Should he add Catterall to his list of victims, Taylor remains keen to step up to welterweight for a crack at Terence Crawford.
“There’s still plenty more fights in me,” he said. “I could retire today and be half content, but six months or a year down the line I’d realise I could have done more. I’d be retiring with regret.
“I want to create more history and achieve more greatness. It would be brilliant to be a two-weight world champion.”
