While the boxing world is still trying to get over the shock of the 12 round split decision that somehow went Josh Taylor’s way on Saturday night in Glasgow, Scotland, with Taylor getting an enormous gift of a win over rightful winner Jack Catterall, one thing that has not come as a shock is Taylor’s decision to move up from 140 to 147 pounds. Taylor announced the planned move after escaping with his four belts; the 31 year old adding how he knew he would make the move even before the loss, sorry, win.
Taylor would get a ton of credit for granting Catterall a return chance, yet he is tight at the weight and the effort of making 140 pounds is just too much for him. Who knows, Catterall and Taylor may meet again one day as welterweights? But for now, Taylor is looking to be in “marquee fights” at welterweight. But can Taylor rule the world at 147 the way he did at 140?
“When I move up to 147 I’m going to be a monster at it,” Taylor said on Saturday night.
Taylor may well be a better fighter at 147, certainly better than he looked in the Catterall fight. If he is stronger at the new weight, if he was compromised after having struggled to make 140 (or maybe Catterall was just that good and would have been such a nightmare for Taylor even if he had made the weight comfortably), Taylor could be real force at welterweight. Still, there are some superb fighters currently plying their trade at 147 pounds.
Terence Crawford is the massive fight Taylor has spoken about getting, and “Bud” will have seen nothing to fear from the Taylor who should have lost to Catterall. Taylor will really have to raise his game from Saturday’s performance if he’s to have any chance at beating the 38-0 Crawford. Taylor against the Errol Spence-Yordenis Ugas fight would be very interesting, and very possibly another tough fight for the Scottish southpaw.
But that’s just the reigning world champions at 147; as Taylor says, “even non-title fights at 147 are massive.” Imagine Taylor in there with the likes of Vergil Ortiz, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Keith Thurman, and, dare I say it – Conor Benn!
One bad showing the kind he had against Catterall should not rub out all the great work Taylor, 19-0(13) has done in the past (those excellent wins over Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis being genuine highlights), but there could be some truly testing nights for him at 147 pounds.
Can Josh Taylor become a two-weight king? Can Taylor become an undisputed world ruler at a second weight?
