Josh Taylor eyes Edinburgh Castle bout with Ricky Burns

Josh Taylor celebrates his win over Ohara Davies. Picture: SNS/Paul Devlin

Josh Taylor defeats Ohara Davies to win WBC Silver title

The Prestonpans puncher landed the biggest win of his short 10-fight professional career with a stunning seventh-round stoppage of Londoner Ohara Davies.

The victory saw the unbeaten Commonwealth champion add Ohara’s WBC Silver strap to his collection as he put himself firmly on the path towards potential world prizes.

But first of all he has targeted an all-Scottish showdown with former three-time world champion Burns.

Asked if a fight with the Coatbridge boxer should be staged in the east or the west, Taylor - who now has nine knock-out successes - said: “Alex Arthur gave Ricky a chance when he was up-and-coming so why can’t Ricky do that for me?

“I think it’d be a great fight. I’d love to fight at Edinburgh Castle, the SSE Hydro, Hampden or even Easter Road - anywhere outside would be great. The castle would be a real iconic setting although you don’t know with the weather here. But it would be a sell-out anywhere.”

Burns, who was ringside at the Braehead Arena to cheer on friend and sparring partner Davies, claims to be in talks to take on Manchester’s Anthony Crolla in October, but has challenged Taylor’s promoter Barry McGuigan to come up with a package big enough to make him think again.

But after grabbing the victory which is likely to propel him into the top 15 of the WBC rankings, Taylor reckons his compatriot has only one option.

“When this fight with Davies was getting talked about, he said he wouldn’t entertain a fight with me as I’d need to get through his team-mate first,” he said.

“Well I’ve fought him and blown him away. I respect Ricky as a person and a fighter. He’s done great for boxing and he’s a nice guy but I think the time has come for me to fight him.

“It would be a massive fight for Scotland and I think the Scottish fans deserve a massive fight like that.”

Both men entered the ring protecting unbeaten records and Davies’ rangy jab was expected to give the Scot problems. Yet from the off his power, precision and tempo marked him out as the classier fighter.

Davies had to sink to a knee near the end of the third after sustaining a series of thudding blows to his midriff. Four rounds later the job was done as Taylor’s left-right combo sent the Londoner sprawling.

He beat the count but the fight was quickly waved off as he failed to return punches when Taylor steamed in again.

McGuigan said: “Now people are going to believe me that this guy has the credentials to go all the way. He is the real McCoy.”

Victory was the perfect response for Taylor after the bad-tempered build-up was marred by a bitter Twitter spat.

Taylor said: “I didn’t think he would quit after giving it so much mouth and talk on social media. You can’t quit after speaking like that, calling me a bum and a fool.

“I think he was maybe a bit shocked by both my power and speed.”

Davies said: “In boxing you take losses. I did say a lot of things that are a bit embarrassing now that I’ve been beat, but my personality doesn’t change. Boxing is all about being an entertainer.

“If me and Josh ever fight again in the future I’ll do the same thing, and after the fight you can make up your own minds as I believe that’s what boxing is about.”