JOSH TAYLOR admits too much booze and junk food were to blame for almost losing all his world title belts.
Scotland’s ring king was lucky to edge a points victory against Jack Catterall in last year’s clash at the Hydro in Glasgow.
Josh Taylor celebrating his controversial victory
Taylor revealed he lost his way after unifying the light-welterweight division following his win over Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas in May 2021.
On June 10 he’ll defend the WBO crown — his only remaining belt — against Brooklyn’s former world lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez.
When asked what has changed since his Hydro horror show, Taylor said: “Discipline. Discipline and having a whole new team around me.
“When I came back from Las Vegas I took too much time out of the gym.
“I ate too much good-tasting bad food, too many pizzas, Chinese and takeaways. I drank too much beer.
“I took my eye off the ball and I just lost my self-control.
“In between sessions I was going away and cheating on my diet. I wasn’t focused, I wasn’t dialled in, that was the mistake I made.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s always tough to make the weight.
“But my new team is keeping me grounded and disciplined.
“Having said that, the move to welterweight is inevitable. I will be moving up at some point in the future.”
Prestonpans puncher Taylor also confessed he didn’t show Englishman Catterall enough respect.
He said: “At the last fight a little bit of complacency set in, which was the worst mistake I’ve ever made.
“I tried to learn from fighters from the past who overlooked their opponents and paid the price for it. At the end of the day, though, you’re only human.
“And when you’ve achieved what I’ve achieved in such a short space of time, and you’re the only person from the UK to have done it, you do tend to enjoy it.
“I won’t do that again. You’re a fool if you make the same mistake twice.
“I’ve still got huge goals and I want to become a two-weight world champion.”
Lopez will be no rollover for Taylor in New York.
The American held the IBF lightweight title from 2019 to 2021 and the WBA and WBO titles from 2020 until 2021.
Taylor added “At light-welter, there’s nothing left for me to do, but there are still big fights like this one.
“This keeps the fire in my belly and the butterflies in the stomach, the excitement and the nerves.
“It’s got me buzzing to go to the gym again with a spring in my step.
“I never had that for Catterall. I felt I had just climbed Everest and then I was coming back to climb Arthur’s Seat.
“I ended up lowering my operating level because my mindset wasn’t right.
“But for me to achieve my goals I’ve got to win this. Worldwide, this is a huge fight for boxing.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of learning to box?
Here are some reasons to learn boxing:
- It increases confidence. Boxing will teach you how to deal with bullies and other bullies.
- It improves your physical and mental health. Boxing helps build muscle mass. Muscle mass makes you stronger.
- It teaches you self defense skills. When you learn how to fight, you learn how to protect yourself.
- It helps you develop your mental toughness. You need mental toughness to face difficult situations.
- It can give you a feeling of accomplishment. When you master a particular technique, it will make you feel like a true fighter.
- It’s fun! Nothing is better than being punched in the stomach.
- It’s cheap. All you need to do is get a pair or boxing gloves.
- It doesn’t need much space
What is the difference between a left hook and a right cross?
A left hook can be thrown from the side, and a right cross from the front.
A left hook can be thrown with the opponent’s back facing you. The elbow is bent 90°, and the wrist is turned 45° towards the opponent.
A right cross is thrown with the palm facing the opponent’s face and the elbow straight. The wrist is turned 45 degrees away from the opponent.
How does a beginner box at home?
Boxing is one among the oldest sports known to mankind. Boxing was first developed to train warriors against their enemies in ancient times. Today, boxing is still widely practiced around the world. You don’t need to go to the gym to box. You only need a pair of gloves and some punching bags.
Local amateur boxing clubs are also available where you can train with professional coaches. You’ll be ready for tournaments once you have mastered basic combinations and punches.
Statistics
- It is just like normal sparring with a partner, but you want to throw punches at 75% of your normal speed. (wikihow.com)
- You want to be running at roughly 75-80% of your top speed..5 mile slow, easy recovery jog at the end.[6]X Research source 2Mix in long runs, shadow boxing, and short sprints on non-interval days. (wikihow.com)
External Links
boxandflow.com
expertboxing.com
How To
These are the basic skills of boxing
How to box effectively
Boxing is a popular sport. It is made up of two competitors who aim to knock the head off each other. The rules of boxing vary from country to country. There are generally three types of boxing: Amateur, Professional, and Olympic.
Amateur boxing is usually practiced at school, college or university. This type includes sparring sessions using padded gloves, but without protection. Usually amateur boxing competitions consist of three rounds of five minutes each. There are many styles of amateur boxing such as Kickboxing or Muay Thai, Taekwondo and Karate, Judo and Wrestling, among others.
Boxing is often practiced in gyms or clubs. They are equipped with protective equipment including a mouthpiece and nose guard, shinguards as well as elbow pads, knee pads. Waist belts and groin protectors. Professional boxing competitions have six rounds that last four minutes each. There are many styles of professional boxing: Boxing, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Kickboxing and Muay Thai.
Olympic boxing can be seen at the Olympics. Boxers are required to wear international standards-compliant protective gear. The competition lasts for eight rounds, each lasting three minutes. Only two types of Olympic boxing are available: Light Flyweight or Heavyweight.
Boxing is based on the following skills:
- Punching techniques
- Techniques for protecting yourself
- Footwork
- Stance
- Body movement
- Defense
- Combination
- Rotation
- Spare parts
Punching Techniques
There are seven types. Each punch has its own technique. Some punches need more power than others. A strong uppercut for example requires a lot of force. A straight punch on the other side requires less power, but is more effective than other punches.
There are many combinations that can be used to punch. These are combinations that combine punches to accomplish a particular goal. A combination may have multiple parts. A combination may include multiple parts. For example, damage to the jaw of an opponent can be caused by a left hook and a right cross.
Guard Techniques
Boxers protect themselves by protecting their bodies. He does this by using his legs.
Legs
Boxers should use the legs to protect themselves against kicks. He raises his leg when he is hit with a kick and then moves away from the opponent. If the attacker is coming from the front, he will bend at the knees to avoid getting kicked on either side. He will block the kick with his foot if the attack is coming from behind.
Elbows
Because they cause great pain, elbow strikes are extremely effective. You can deliver an elbow strike directly or indirectly. Directly means you hit your opponent directly with your forearm. While indirectly, it means you hit him with another section of your arm.
Hands
Boxers use both their hands and arms to prevent incoming blows. To do this, they raise their fists higher than their heads and move their arms in the direction that the attack is coming. The attacker’s fist is then in their face.
Knees
When receiving a blow to the stomach, abdomen or chest, a boxer should bend his knees to absorb the impact. For defense purposes, knee strikes are common.
Feet
Boxers should respond to being attacked by their opponent by standing back and delivering counter-attacks. This way, he can gain distance between himself and his opponent. Boxers should also keep their balance when counter-attacking.
Stances
Boxing effectively requires a boxer to have a good stance. The way he defends himself will be determined by his stance. It determines where he will face his opponent and how he will position his body. Boxers have many stances to choose from. These are the most popular:
- Low stance
- High stance
- Southpaw stance
- Western stance
Moving your body
A boxer must be able to move around his opponent in order to win a fight. This involves changing positions, speed, rhythm and timing.
Rotation
Rotating his arm to increase the puncher’s reach is a key part of boxing. Depending on the type and size of punch, the speed at which the rotation takes place varies.
Combinations
Timing of each punch is crucial to the effectiveness of a combination. A combination is good if it starts with a strong punch then ends with a weaker one.
Spares
Sparring is a form of boxing that aims to improve your skills. Boxers learn to train their mind and bodies during sparring sessions. Sparring is a way to learn how to fight without getting hurt.
It is important to be patient and dedicated when learning how to box. To become a better fighter, you have to train hard and continue to work.
