Josh Taylor vs. Ekow Essuman: Preview, Fight Card & Betting Odds

Almost a year after losing to Jack Catterall in their rematch, Josh Taylor returns home as he looks to make one last run, but this time in the welterweight division.

Taylor (19-2, 13 KOs), 34, from Scotland, U.K., spent a career squeezing down to 140, which ended up not being what was best for his career. He now makes his welterweight debut, and the question surrounding this fight against Ekow Essuman (21-1, 8 KOs) is whether this move to a new weight class is too late. Fighting once a year since 2020 hasn’t benefited Taylor, who has gone 3-2 in the last five years.

Essuman, 36, from Nottingham, has spent his entire career fighting in the U.K. between welterweight and junior middleweight. Essuman will be the naturally bigger fighter, but unproven, going up against a proven former champion moving up in weight. Will it be a disaster debut for Taylor at 147, or will he regain the momentum he once had?