josh taylor

Josh Taylor, born on January 2, 1991, in Prestonpans, East Lothian, UK, began his professional boxing career in 2015 after a distinguished amateur career. Initially a junior taekwondo champion, Taylor transitioned to boxing at age 15, training at Lochend ABC in Edinburgh. His amateur achievements include a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where he competed in the lightweight division, and a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, this time in the light-welterweight category. He represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, demonstrating his talent on the international stage. Taylor turned professional in June 2015, signing with Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions and training under Shane McGuigan. His debut in July 2015 saw him defeat Archie Weah via a second-round technical knockout, marking the start of a seven-fight knockout streak.

Taylor’s professional career quickly progressed. In his seventh professional fight, he secured the Commonwealth light-welterweight title by defeating Dave Ryan in October 2016 with a fifth-round stoppage. He continued to rise through the ranks, defeating Ohara Davies for the WBC Silver light-welterweight title in July 2017 and impressively stopping former lightweight world champion Miguel Vázquez in November 2017. These victories positioned him for fights in the World Boxing Super Series, where he defeated Ryan Martin in the quarter-finals and Ivan Baranchyk in the semi-finals to claim his first world title, the IBF light-welterweight title, in May 2019. In October 2019, Taylor unified the WBA (Super) light-welterweight title by defeating Regis Prograis in the World Boxing Super Series final, also winning the vacant Ring magazine title.

The pinnacle of Taylor’s career came in May 2021 when he faced José Ramírez, holding the WBC and WBO light-welterweight titles. Taylor secured a unanimous decision victory, becoming the undisputed light-welterweight champion. This historic achievement made him the second Scotsman and the first Briton in the four-belt era to unify all major world titles in his division. Known as “The Tartan Tornado” for his aggressive fighting style, Taylor retired from professional boxing on July 21, 2025, due to a recurring eye injury. His career concluded with a record of 19 wins (13 by knockout) and 3 losses, leaving a legacy as one of Scotland’s most accomplished boxers.