Josh Taylor eyeing boxing immortality in undisputed Las Vegas clash with Jose Ramirez – Mirror Online

Josh Taylor is itching to etch his name into the history books against Jose Ramirez by becoming Britains first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era.

Only four other male fighters from around the world Oleksandr Usyk, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and Terence Crawford have held the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO titles consecutively in their divisions.

And the 30-year-old 'Tartan Tornado' knows he will achieve boxing immortality if he can add 28-year-old American Ramirezs WBC and WBO belts to the light-welterweight titles he already holds in Las Vegas on Saturday.

He said: To be on the doorstep of achieving it is crazy.

This is why Im so motivated my name will have some kind of greatness attached to it if I win this fight.

Undisputed world champion in the four-belt era, the first person from Britain to do it, the first person in Scotland to do it, and there are only four other fighters in the world to have done it.

Its a really, really special club to be a member of and its one that puts my name in the history books so people will hopefully be talking about me when Im long gone.

Lennox Lewis was the last undisputed world champion from Britain after his 1999 victory over Evander Holyfield completed the set of WBC, WBA and IBF titles in the three-belt era.

While Taylors fellow Scot, Ken Buchanan, became Britains first undisputed world champion in 1971, when he held the WBC and WBA world lightweight titles.

Taylor added: I never thought Id hear my name mentioned in the same breath as Kennys as an undisputed world champion.

Even when I turned professional, people were saying, Can you be as good as Ken Buchanan?

I was, like, Dont disrespect the man, this is an all-time British great and youre putting me in the same breath. Come on, thats ridiculous.

But now its a realistic goal and Im just a few days from achieving what he achieved.

Im close to Kenny as well, Ive seen him a lot over the years.

Id love to go home and see him with the belts and say, Look, Im just like you, Champ.

Taylor only sees his clash with Ramirez, who is also unbeaten, ending one way.

He said: Ive visualised this fight over and over, thousands of times in my head, Ive imagined it in lots of different ways, and every single time its me winning.

My speed, power, skill, accuracy, boxing IQ, my brain will be different to anything he has faced before.

The ball is in my court, the way I want to take the fight on, Im better than him in every department and my skill levels will be the difference.

Hes a very good fighter, he comes forward, puts the pressure on and hes very good at what he does, so Im not here disrespecting him.

I just believe Im better than him and he is going to have to prove me wrong.

Ramirez v Taylor will stream live and exclusively in the UK on FITE for 9.99. Live coverage begins at 130am UK on Sunday, May 23.

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Josh Taylor eyeing boxing immortality in undisputed Las Vegas clash with Jose Ramirez - Mirror Online