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Josh Taylor was recently stripped of his WBA Super Lightweight Title after refusing to fight mandatory challenger Alberto Puello. The reason for the refusal is unclear as of yet.
It has been announced that Taylor will remain in the super lightweight division, where the former Undisputed Champion still holds the WBO, WBC, IBF, and The Ring belts. Michael Benson, of TalkSPORT, announced today that:
"Josh Taylor now looks set to stay at super-lightweight and defend his WBC, IBF & WBO world titles against WBC mandatory Jose Zepeda next as Top Rank's Todd DuBoef has revealed that this fight is in talks."
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Taylor, of Scotland, is ranked as the best active fighter in his division by The Ring magazine, Boxrec and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. Moving up a weight class would put him in the welterweight division, where the top fighters are Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.
Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall
Josh Taylor's most recent fight was against Jack Catterall in February this year. The bout was a tough contest between the men and was ruled a split-decision victory for the champion. However, the decision caused outrage in the sport as Catterall was perceived to be the rightful winner by many. Following the fight, the British Boxing Board of Control began an investigation into the result.
Prior to his bout with Catterall, Taylor had an undefeated record of 18-0. He claimed his title as Undisputed Champion in bouts with some of the best fighters in the division, such as Regis Prograis, Ivan Baranchyk, and Jose Ramirez. He has also beaten Ohara Davies and Victor Postol. In 2019, he won the World Boxing Super Series Tournament.
Check out Top Rank's highlights of Taylor vs. Catterall here:
Due to the controversial nature of the decision, it seemed likely that Taylor would be forced to take a rematch with Catterall if he stayed in the weight class. Yet, Michael Benson's reporting suggests that Taylor will, instead, find a new opponent. The WBA, likewise, has not offered Catterall a shot at the now-vacant title.
