JOSH Taylor admires Manny Pacquaio so much that he named his Staffordshire bull terrier after him. But he reckons Ivan Baranchyk has made a massive mistake in enlisting the Filipino’s illustrious trainer Freddie Roach in such short order ahead of the two men’s hotly-anticipated IBF world title fight at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on May 18.
Roach is one of the most respected coaches in boxing history but the self-styled Tartan Tornado reckons his opponent has blundered by taking up with a new coach just eight weeks out from the first defence of the world title he won in his World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) quarter final against Anthony Yigit of Sweden.
“I was a massive fan of Pacquiao, he was my hero,”admitted Taylor. “But Baranchhyk having Freddie Roach in his corner doesn’t bother me. I think he has too many fighters to be concentrating on one fighter at a time. He hasn’t been able to give Baranchyk enough time, the kind of time it would need to beat a fighter like myself.
“So having Freddie Roach in his corner is irrelevant,” he added. “He only joined him eight weeks ago. And having a brand new trainer, for only eight weeks for your first defence of a world title, is not the best of the moves.
2 weeks on Saturday I will be crowned the new IBF Super lightweight world champion.
— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorBoxer) May 2, 2019
🌍 👑 #TTT #AndTheNew pic.twitter.com/PRVQzoxHQw
READ MORE: The wait is almost over as Josh Taylor bids for world glory
“How well does he really know Baranchyk? How well does he know he works? I’m not bothered, I really am not fazed at all. I don’t think it will have any bearing on the fight. Eight weeks with a new trainer for your first defence against a fighter like myself, I don’t think it is a great move.”
Fireworks are anticipated in a bout which both men enter undefeated as they come into this WBSS semi-final. The winner will face Regis Prograis of the USA, with both the Ali trophy and the WBA and IBF world titles on the line.
“I think Baranchyk’s only chance is to come forward and have a go from the get go, the first bell,” said Taylor. “He is going to come out swinging to try to get me to come out and have a fight on his terms. But I am smart enough and I believe I can outfight him anyway. And if he tries to box me I don’t think he has any chance of outboxing me.”
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