Pros React To Josh Taylor's Shock Loss – ‘Back To 140 Or Retire'

Josh Taylor suffered a third loss in a row, coming unstuck against Ekow Essuman, as boxing pros gave their reaction.

Taylor had his first fight at 147, having moved up from 140. The reasoning seemed logical since Taylor had lost his last two bouts at 140. He came unstuck against Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall. Taylor was also the former Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion, meaning there was nothing else left to achieve at the weight class. Taylor also looked healthier at 147 but could not deliver the goods as he lost a unanimous decision: 116-113, 116-112, and 115-113.

The CompuBox numbers showed that Taylor landed 125 punches from 493 at a 25 percent accuracy rate. 117 of those were power punches compared to Essuman’s 115. Essuman landed 140 from 363 total punches thrown at a 22% accuracy rate. Essuman also landed more jabs, connecting with 25 jabs compared to Taylor’s 23. While Eussman’s power punchers were fewer, he was the more effective fighter in the second half of the bout, which allowed him to get the win on the scorecards. Here is how boxing insiders reacted to the result. 

Reaction

"Josh started well, Ekow took over from [round] seven onwards. It was a good fight to watch, but I thought Essuman ran away with it in the end. Maybe [he was], I think either Josh goes back to 140 or probably retires. If Ekow is the wrong opponent at 147 then Taylor’s not a 147-pound fighter — no disrespect — he’s a great domestic fighter, European level, but Josh is talking [of becoming a] two-weight world champion. If he can’t beat Essuman, his future isn’t there. Only he will know and make that decision with his family when the time is right," Liam Smith stated

"This is what happens as you get a bit older. I know Ekow is older than Josh, but he hasn’t been in the hard fights that Josh’s been in and it just takes something away from you. I’m sure Josh has earned plenty of money and he’s got a lovely wife, Danielle, and a good family and it’s not up to me to tell anybody what they do with their life, but he’s reached the pinnacle. He’s done what no one even dreams they can do and become an undisputed (champion). No one thinks about that when they turn pro. He done it in a marquee division and he should be very proud of that," Carl Frampton stated

"Wow, Josh Taylor.. S****y boy," Devin Haney reacted

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