Josh Taylor relishing chance to defend world titles in front of packed house

Josh Taylor will feel “more alive and more electric” when he steps out to a packed OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow on Saturday night to take on challenger Jack Catterall.

The 31-year-old undisputed and unbeaten world champion from Prestonpans has not performed in front of a proper boxing crowd for well over two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taylor unified all four junior welterweight belts with a convincing decision over the previously undefeated Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas in May 2021 in front of a restricted attendance, and in September 2020 he beat Apinun Khongsong behind closed doors at the York Hall, London.

Previous to that was a victory over Regis Prograis at the O2 Arena in London in October 2019  and this weekend he fights in front of home fans for the first time in almost three years against 28-year-old Englishman Catterall.

And the Scotsman is relishing the prospect of an enthusiastic support at the Glasgow venue, whose capacity is around 14,000, and which is all but sold out.

Taylor told the PA news agency: “I will be more fired up, more alive and more electric, more butterflies in the stomach, that little bit of nerves that you need to keep you on your toes.

“It hasn’t really been like that in the last couple of years because I haven’t been fighting in front of anybody.

Having this buzz of this arena, it keeps me alive and I can't wait.- Josh Taylor

“I boxed in the York Hall and defended my title, mandatory and it was really hard to get up for it.

“There was about 20 people in the hall, officials, paramedics and boxers fighting in the show and that was it.

“My belts were still on the line but walking out for the ring entrance,  it didn’t feel like a fight, it felt like a televised sparring match and it was