SCOTS BOXER Josh Taylor has revealed that boxing legend Ken Buchanan came round to his mum and dad’s house for tea after he became world champion.
Prestonpans-born Josh said on a documentary last night that legendary boxer Ken told him when he was a young “whippersnapper” that he was going to be world champion.
When 30-year-old Josh became the unified light-welterweight champion in October 2019, Ken, now 75, arrived at his parents house for tea.
In the recent behind-the-scenes documentary about Josh’s upcoming fight with Jose Ramirez, Josh said: “When I won the title against [Regis] Prograis and unified the division, Kenny came down to my parents house after the fight.
“We had a cup of tea and a bit to eat.
“I showed him his belts and he said: ‘You proved me right son, I am glad you proved me right’.
“Kenny used to come in when I was a young whippersnapper on the bags and see me hitting the bags and sparring.
“[He] gave me advice about how to punch, how to do this and how to live and how to train.
“Then he came away and said ‘you’re going to be world champion one day’.”
Josh added “I first came across Ken when I was about 16-17, my very first coach was actually Kenny’s son and he told me his dad was Ken Buchanan, Scotland’s only undisputed world champion.
“I didn’t know who he was when he mentioned it.”
Retired boxer Ken, who is from Edinburgh, became WBA World Lightweight Champion in September of 1970 after beating Panamanian Ismael Laguna.
He was named the American Boxing Writers’ Association’s “Fighter of the Year” in 1970, ahead of boxers including Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
Buchanan retired in 1976 but returned in 1978 for a short period until 1982.
With a record of 61 wins and eight losses, he is widely regarded as Scotland’s finest ever boxer.
Following in his footsteps, Josh is currently ranked as the world’s best active light-welterweight by Boxrec, with 13 of his 17 matches coming by way of stoppage.
He is currently the unified light welterweight champion, having held the WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine titles since 2019.
Taylor is scheduled to face WBC and WBO champion Jose Ramirez on the 22nd of May for the undisputed light-welterweight title.
