Scot Josh Taylor found himself among the millions shrouded in a crimson fog on Wednesday as Canadian wild fires left the Big Apple smoked.
But his coach Joe McNally still can’t believe Scotland’s ring king hasn’t touched down in New York blanketed in the warm embrace of Britain’s boxing public. The 32-year-old in the US looking to add another remarkable notch to his long list of achievements as he takes on Brooklyn brawler Teofimo Lopez.
Victory in the iconic Madison Square Gardens in the early hours of Saturday would emulate the achievements of his hero Ken Buchanan and nudge the UK’s first ever four-belt undisputed champion another step higher up the ladder on the list of Scotland’s greatest ever sporting giants. Yet McNally just can’t get his head around the fact that those feats still don’t seem to matter to those living south of Hadrian’s Wall.
The Scouse coach has certainly taken notice since teaming up with the Prestonpans puncher at his Liverpool gym in the wake of last year's controversial Jack Catterall scrap. The disputed points win sparked a flood of flak that frankly Taylor can live without.
The Tartan Tornado doesn’t need the stress, certainly no when he’s achieved all he’s ever dreamed of. Taylor certainly hasn’t given any hit he’s ready to hang up his gloves but then it wound’t surprise McNally if he did - in which case his trainer reckons it’s time everyone from all four corners of the UK started appreciating what they’ve got while they have him.
“Let’s be honest, if Josh was from south of the border he’d get a lot more credit for what he’s achieved,” he blasted. It’s a f***ing travesty he hasn’t.
“The man is a legend and win, lose or draw this weekend, what he’s already achieved in this sport means he’s a future Hall of Fame fighter. To be a unified champion inside 20 fights is magnificent and I truly believe that if he was English he’d have had massively more credit that what he’s had.
“That’s a shame but I do believe he’s going to go on and achieve a lot more. Teaming up with Josh, I’ve had to question what his motives are?
“You turn professional to win a world title. Then the second step is to be financially secure. The man has won every belt at his weight and no longer has to worry about finances, so he could retire now and no-one could argue with that decision.
“So yeah, appreciate him now because he might win Saturday and turn round and say, ‘That’s it, I’ve had enough’. No disrespect to the current crop who are coming through, who is there to take his place at 140lbs? There’s a couple of prospects but believe me, there’s no Josh Taylor coming through.”
Taylor will be the first to admit he wasn’t himself last time he stepped into the ring to face Catterall. Focus had slipped on the back of historic Las Vegas triumph over Jose Ramírez that saw him swagger off with all four light welterweight belts. He touched down in the States with only his WBO strap remaining having been forced to vacate the other three amid a year of injury and contract wrangling.
But McNally reckons Taylor has a bigger prize in mind this weekend. He said: “It’s an old saying but it’s true. Winning a belt is OK, the hardest part is keeping them.
“In Josh’s case it’s not about having enough hunger, it’s about taming him down. This man is not complacent about what he’s done in the sport. Actually, he wants to achieve more.
“He’s not a materialistic person. Money is not an objective. He’s hell bent on securing his legacy. He wanted the Catterall fight but the injury happened and the laws of the land meant he instead got this fight with Teofimo, which is a really dangerous fight, a harder fight than his last fight.
“Credit to the champion, he could have taken an easier option so kudos to Josh and what he wants to go on and achieve in the sport.”
Issues making the 140lbs weight limit last time out left Taylor sapped for strength when he squared up to Catterall at the Hydro last February. But McNally insists his man will be in tip-top shape when he steps on the scales for today’s weigh-in.
He said: “When Josh came to Liverpool and we teamed up after some discussions, obviously I’d heard some rumours that he was a 147lbs fighter. But we went through some testing which confirmed he’s a 140lbs fighter. He could move up to 147 if he wants to.
“But at this weight, he’s hit every goal and every target in camp which is credit to the champion he is. He’s whipped himself into fantastic condition, his weight is fantastic. He’s still got to cut a couple of pounds but he’s in a fantastic place.
“I’ve reminded Josh of who he is and what he is. It’s been about getting him prepared mentally and physically for the camp and getting him back to what he does best - which is being Josh Taylor.
“I don’t want him caught between styles. I haven’t reinvented the wheel with the man - hopefully that approach pays dividends on Saturday night.
“Is he ready for a career-best performance? I f***ing hope so, yeah! Look he’s worked so hard these past three months. He’s sparred well over 100 rounds, very tough rounds.
“All he has to do on Saturday night is a heart full of fire and his veins full of ice. If Josh Taylor performs then I don’t think this fight goes the distance.”
