Boxing: Josh Taylor turns to his Games nemesis

LOCHEND lightweight and Olympic hopeful Josh Taylor has adopted the old adage “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’’ ahead of his clash against Liverpool’s Robbie Davis on Monday night.

Liverpool’s Robbie Davis on Monday night.

Classy southpaw Taylor boxes at St Andrew’s Sporting Club, Glasgow, in a Scotland versus England international and has been preparing by sparring with the man who ruined his dream of a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Revealed Taylor: “I’ve been having hard sparring sessions with Tom Stalker, who beat me in the final in Delhi. Our sessions at the GB squad training camp in Sheffield have been tremendous and I’m now ready for anything that Davis might bring.

“A good win over Davis will give me a confidence boost when I go to the Olympic qualifiers in Turkey in April where I just have to bag a semi-final spot to win a place in the British boxing team for London 2012.’’

Taylor will be joined in the Scotland team by Lochend clubmate Lewis Benson, who will fight Tabs Simmamandie at light-welterweight.

Fauldhouse’s Scott Forrest is also part of the five-man Scottish squad going head-to-head with England on Monday.