‘Starved of opportunities’ – Josh Taylor relishing return of big-time boxing to Scotland

Josh Taylor has already enjoyed a successful boxing career.

From being involved in a Fight of the Year contender against Regis Prograis to becoming an undisputed champion at super lightweight, Taylor is now ready to give back and provide a platform for the next generation of Scottish boxers.

Tonight, live on DAZN, Taylor will fight in Scotland for the first time since 2022 when he takes on Ekow Essuman at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro.

The contest will not only mark Taylor’s long-awaited return home, but also his debut at welterweight.

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If Taylor can get the win over Essuman, then it could kickstart a charge towards a world title shot at 147lbs and a new era of boxing in Scotland.

Reflecting on the current state of boxing in his home country, it’s one which Taylor believes is a poor one with Scotland not being given the opportunities which he believes it deserves.

Therefore, Taylor is hoping his status can provide a worthwhile platform for the country’s rising stars.

“I really like being in Scotland, when I get a fight, I always try to push for the fights to be in Scotland because the talent up the road seem to get starved of opportunities,” Taylor told DAZN News in an exclusive interview.

“With all the shows being down south in England all the managers and everybody's sort of down here, they all get first dibs on the shows.

“When I get a chance or an opportunity to fight at home, I always try and push for it to be in Scotland. The young lads coming through get a chance to showcase their skills on a big stage in Scotland and hopefully push on and that boosts their career and their profile.

“I'm proud that I can provide an opportunity for some of the lads coming through.”

 

Televised sport has changed dramatically since the turn of millennium. Before the arrival of pay TV, sports such as boxing were broadcast on terrestrial television meaning an audience of millions would get to see some thrilling fight nights.

Now with numerous broadcasters and pay-per-view commonplace in boxing, it can be quite difficult for those starting out their journeys in the sweet science to gain the exposure to make them big stars.

Taylor was fortunate, fighting at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and winning gold, ‘The Tartan Tornado’ and his success was broadcast by the BBC to a huge audience.

During a period of his professional career, Taylor’s contests were shown by Channel 5, another terrestrial channel in the UK meaning once again he was showcased to a mass audience.

This platform is one which Taylor is grateful for and claims that the lack of mass exposure is one of the driving forces behind the boxing spotlight not focusing enough on Scotland.

“We're a small nation. We're a small nation and boxing's a sort of small sport as well. So maybe that's something to do with it. It's quite tough to get a good opportunity or good platform,” Taylor continued.

“I was very fortunate.  I got a good platform from the start because I performed well in the Commonwealth Games, and it was a home Commonwealth Games as well which gave me good stead to get on a good platform.

“I was on terrestrial television which was great because you don't have to pay for the viewership or pay for views or anything like that. I was getting good exposure straight away.  I was quite fortunate in that sense.

“When I get the chance to go home, I like to try and make it in Scotland. Or when I get the chance to fight, I like to try and make it in Scotland so that the Scottish talent can get a chance to showcase their talent on the big stage.”

 

Taylor has certainly delivered on this promise for his first event under promoter Frank Warren.

An all-Scottish featherweight fight between Nathaniel Collins and Lee McGregor is a standout while Aston Brown, Drew Limond and Alex Arthur Jr are all Scottish talents hoping to steal the show at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro.

This evening will not just be the start of a new chapter for the career of Taylor, but hopefully the start of a new era for Scottish boxing.

Watch Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman exclusively with a DAZN subscription. Annual and monthly options available, more information here.