Becoming a world champion was an important milestone in his career Josh Taylor. However, after winning the IBF world super lightweight title in 2019, the 32-year-old boxer set another goal for himself - to become the undisputed champion.
Taylor soon began collecting belts. Defeating Regis Prograis and Jose Ramirez, Taylor became the undisputed champion of the super lightweight division. However, in his first defense of his throne, Taylor performed rather poorly against Jack Catterall. Taylor won by a close and controversial split decision and was subjected to relentless criticism.
Deciding to pursue a career, Taylor spent roughly a full year trying to get a rematch with Catterall, trying to prove that he was better. Taylor struggled to get a second fight, but four world titles, while prestigious, have an endless array of mandatory requirements.
Failing to fulfill his obligations, Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) began to lose the recently won titles one by one. Now only a WBO belt is left around his waist, and he has to watch as his competitors win what once belonged to him.
Regis Prograis, newly crowned WBC champion, and Subriel Matias, current IBF title holder, took full advantage of Taylor's decision not to make mandatory defenses. But if, on paper, Prograis and Matias have earned the right to call themselves world champions, Taylor sees their reign as unfair.
“Personally, yes, I still consider myself the undisputed champion,” Taylor told BoxingScene.com. - I did not lose the belt in the ring. Obviously, I was preparing for a rematch with Jack Catterall. But the obligatory applicants and everything else interfered with me. So I let go of a couple of belts. Realistically, these are still my belts. There are now other champions in this weight, but they are not really champions.”
Despite losing most of his titles, Taylor was unable to get an immediate rematch with Catterall. Now that a rematch is out of the question, Taylor is set to return to the ring on June 10 against Teofimo Lopez.
Provided he returns to the ring in less than two months, Taylor seems interested in extending his stay at super lightweight a little more. While his focus remains on Lopez, Taylor hopes his fellow champions won't enjoy what he sees as challenge titles for long.
“I'm still a champion and at the moment they're just holding my belts. I'm still the best at 63kg," Taylor added.
