Undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh ‘The Tartan Tornado’ Taylor 18-0 (13) will be an interested observer when WBO welterweight champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 37-0 (28) defends his title against ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter 31-3-1 (17) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.
The 31-year-old Scottish southpaw unified all four major world titles at 140-pounds with a decision victory over Jose Carlos Ramirez 26-1 (17) in May. The last WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO junior welterweight champion was fellow lefty Crawford, who moved up in weight three years ago.
Taylor is scheduled to make a mandatory title defence against Jack ‘El Gato’ Catterall 26-0 (13) at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on February 26, but he is already considering the potential of a Crawford fight next year.
“It’s a big fight, it’s one of the biggest fights in boxing,” Taylor told Behind the Gloves.
“He was the last person to become undisputed champion at my weight class. We fought the same opponent in Viktor Postol, so we’ve kind of achieved the same things.
“He’s moved up and got another world title at welterweight, so I just think that’s a massive fight.”
Taylor and Crawford crossed paths in the lead-up to the Porter fight.
“It was pretty cool to bump into him,” Taylor said. “We just sort of said hello to each other, I wished him all the best for this weekend. He said ‘well done against Ramirez’ and things like that.
“It’s an exciting prospect that could be a fight not too far in the distant future.”
The 5-foot-10 Taylor insists he has no problem making the 140-pound limit for the junior welterweight division but after clearing out all major challenges in the weight class it seems almost certain he will be competing at welterweight next year.
One fight that could potentially keep Taylor at 140-pounds is an enticing matchup against undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo ‘The Takeover’ Lopez 16-0 (12) who has previously flagged a move up in weight. Lopez clashes with Australia’s George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 19-0 (10) at Madison Sqaure Garden in New York on November 17.
If Taylor does opt to remain at junior welterweight and wants to hold on to all of his belts he will be required to face WBC mandatory Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda 35-2 (27) if he is successful against Catterall.
“We’ll see how it goes, I believe I beat every single one of them. I think when I move up to welterweight I’ll soon be even better,” Taylor continued.
“I’ll be coming up and chasing titles. I’ll be chasing the likes of your Terence Crawford’s, your Porter’s and your (Errol) Spence’s.
“I’m an upcoming threat towards all these guys if I move up to welterweight after this next fight, given everything goes well against Jack Catterall.
“It’s a massive possibility that it could be in the next couple of fights, so it’s exciting times.”
