Scottish former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor joins a rather long list of fighters who stepped away from the sport this year after announcing his retirement today. With this decision, Taylor draws the curtain to a boxing career that has spanned for approximately a decade and was not without commendable accolades or achievements.
Inarguably being one of Scotland’s most decorated boxers, Josh Taylor’s potential was noted early on during his amateur career as he gathered a total of five medals ― four of them silver, one gold ― Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Youth Games and GB Championships.
Known as the “Tartan Tornado” for his aggression within the ring, epitomized by his ability to offload a large number of combinations, Taylor debuted in the pro ranks in the welterweight (147 lbs) division at the age of 24 ― netting a stoppage win that perfectly heralded him as a rising star.
The Scot drifted in and out of the super lightweight (140 lbs) division in the subsequent years, winning the Commonwealth Boxing Council title in 2016 while further earning a pivotal win over British talent Ohara Davies (26-4, 18 KO’s) in 2017 to add the WBC Silver title to his young career.
By 2018, a significant win over former world champion Viktor Postol confirmed Taylor’s position as a top contender and soon saw the Scottish fighter go on to compete in the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) tournament for the 140-pound division.
During the semi-final of the tournament, Taylor became a world champion for the first time after defeating Belarusian IBF 140 lbs champion Ivan Baranchyk to earn the IBF title; a belt that would become contested in the tournament’s final where he faced WBA champion Regis Prograis (29-3, 24 KO’s) in a unification fight. Both fights would be contested in 2019.
Josh Taylor went on to beat Regis Prograis in a close and competitive fight that allowed him to become a unified [WBA & IBF] champion and that further signaled the beginning of his journey to become undisputed. Roughly two years later in 2021, Taylor met with American WBC & WBO champion Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-3, 18 KO’s) who he would go on to defeat by unanimous decision (UD) to become just the second 140 lbs undisputed champion in the four-belt era after Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KO’s) became such in 2017.
Taylor also became the second Scottish fighter to become undisputed overall, following up after Scottish legend Ken Buchanan who achieved the distinction in 1971.
Taylor’s career afterwards tumbled down as he went on to controversially defeat British contender Jack Catterall (31-2, 13 KO’s) in 2022 to retain his titles. By 2023, however, his career appeared to be firmly on the downslide as he lost his WBO title to Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 KO’s), only to subsequently lose again in 2024 and 2025 against Catterall and Ekow Essuman respectively.
Despite the disappointing trajectory of his career in the last three years, Josh Taylor has crafted a career that he can rightfully be proud of and should count him as one of the best fighters of his era.
According to Taylor, the retirement was prompted by a recurring eye injury that forced him to tie a knot to his ten-year career.
“Right folks, this isn’t an easy post for me to write, but on the advice of my doctors, it’s sadly a necessary one,” Taylor would go on to post on his social media earlier today.
“As has been publicised before, I’ve had a recurring issue with my eye that unfortunately means I now have to call time on my career or risk losing my eyesight.
“Whilst the fighter in me always wants to box on, I know I have to listen to the medical professionals and save me from myself.
“It is certainly not the way I wanted to bow out, but I have to listen to the doctors and those around me. I am just a kid from the Pans who scaled the very top of the sport but I could not have done it without those who have supported me, through thick and thin.
“I know that British boxing, and Scottish boxing in particular, is in an exciting place with the focus that you have on bringing through the next generation of world champions.
“It’s now time for me to reflect on a 1 in 70 million career and look forward to what’s coming next. Thank you once again, and God bless.”
Taylor, 34, retires with a record of 19 wins ― 13 coming by way of knockout ― and 3 losses.
