Josh Taylor admits he is ‘over the moon’ at realising his dream of becoming a world champion after taking Ivan Baranchyk’s IBF super-lightweight belt in an unanimous points victory.
In the end, Taylor ran out a comfortable winner, with the judges scoring the contest 117-109 and 115-111.
The Edinburgh-born fighter, who racked up win number 15 of his career, will now take on American Regis Prograis – who was in attendance – in a mouth-watering World Boxing Super Series final.
Taylor, who thrilled the 6,000-strong crowd at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, said: “I took more risks than I should of, I was pretty comfortable in there but I switched off a couple of times and I took more shots than I should of.
“I could have made it more comfortable for myself but I never but easy, easy-peasy.
“It’s definitely on par with winning Commonwealth gold here, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet because I’ve dreamt of this moment for so long and I’m absolutely over the moon.”
After being shaken by a Baranchyk blow in the fifth, Taylor twice had his opponent down in the sixth, connecting with a right and left to the head, but the Belarussian was helped by the bell.
The home favourite kept up the pressure on the rounds that following but Baranchyk was refusing to go down lightly.
The Prestonpans ace withstood some shots in the 12th before trying his best to get the knock-out.
But as the bell sounded, Taylor knew he had done enough to realise his dream.
