Josh Taylor plans to quit boxing at 32 or 33 ‘before his body falls apart’

Josh Taylor wants to quit boxing in three or four years “before his body falls apart”.
Josh Taylor plans to fight Jose Ramírez next year. The American holds the WBC and WBO titles.Josh Taylor plans to fight Jose Ramírez next year. The American holds the WBC and WBO titles.
Josh Taylor plans to fight Jose Ramírez next year. The American holds the WBC and WBO titles.

The Scottish world champion plans to return to the ring next year when he will bid to become the undisputed king of the light-welterweight division.

The plan is to fight Jose Ramirez in the United States and add the American’s WBC and WBO belts to his own IBF and WBA titles.

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But at 29, Taylor is already thinking about life beyond boxing.

“I don’t want to be fighting until I’m 36, 37, 38 and the body starts falling apart,” Taylor said in an interview with BBC Scotland. “Ideally, I want to retire at 32 or 33, get out of the game and live the rest of my life.”

Taylor has not fought since his super-swift victory over Apinun Khongsong in London in September. The Prestonpans fighter knocked out his Thai opponent with a body-shot after two minutes and 41 seconds of the first round.

Ramirez will be an altogether tougher proposition.

“It’s looking like the early part of next year, maybe February/March/April time,” Taylor said of the forthcoming fight. “It’s most likely going to be in America because in some states they’re allowing a good number of fans in and that’s what I would prefer to do, fight in front of fans.

“I’ve always wanted to fight in America in a big show and see my name up in bright lights, so that will be another one ticked off the bucket list.

“It’s looking like it’s going to be the west coast, maybe in LA or Nevada. But nothing has been confirmed and it could still be in Glasgow.”

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