What’s Next For Josh Taylor?

Josh Taylor lost to Ekow Essuman in his first fight at welterweight, raising question marks over his next steps. 

The defeat was the worst response following Taylor’s recent poor run of form. He arrived into the fight with defeats against Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall, as there were doubts over whether he was finished at the top level. There were also concerns that perhaps Taylor’s form had dipped because he was struggling to make the 140-pound limit.

The Scotsman has consistently said he would like to become a two-weight world champion, but that could now be in doubt. Taylor could take an immediate rematch. That gives the Scot the chance to quickly avenge the loss before targeting the bigger fights. It will also quell the speculation that Taylor could retire from the sport.

Options

There is an opportunity to face off against Connor Ben. Benn suffered the first defeat of his career against Chris Eubank Jr. Benn had moved up from 154 pounds to take on Eubank at 160 when he was naturally a 147 fighter. A Taylor-Benn fight has the potential to sell out, given they have exchanged verbals on social media. It also offers Benn an opportunity to earn another big payday, especially since he had suffered during his time out of the ring after failing VADA tests for Clomiphene.

Alternatively, Taylor could pursue a trilogy with Jack Catterall. Taylor won their first fight in a controversial split decision where most of the boxing community felt that Jack had been robbed. They ran things back once again, but this time, Catterall secured a unanimous decision win to square up the rivalry. Bob Arum was unhappy with the scorecard, saying they were too wide. A trilogy offers Taylor an opportunity to confirm who is the better fighter in a weight class, which is more natural to him.  

Equally, Taylor could target a fight with Harlem Eubank Jr. He faces Catterall in his next fight as he is rising through the ranks under the guidance of Chris Eubank Sr. That fight also offers Taylor an opportunity to earn a big purse whilst getting more experience at welterweight before he targets the title fights. The belts are currently held by Jaron Ennis, who has the WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine Belts. Meanwhile, the WBO is held by Brian Norman Jr., while Mario Barrios has the WBC title. Either way, Taylor is looking to make inroads in the division.