Josh Taylor, former undisputed super lightweight world champion, has announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 34.
The Scottish fighter says that a recurring eye issue has forced him to hang up the gloves.
“I’ve had a recurring issue with my eye that unfortunately means I now have to call time on my career or risk losing my eyesight,” Taylor said in a statement. “Whilst the fighter in me always wants to box on, I know I have to listen to the medical professionals and save me from myself. It
is certainly not the way I wanted to bow out, but I have to listen to the doctors and those around me.
“I am just a kid from the Pans who scaled the very top of the sport, but I could not have done it without those who have supported me through thick and thin. ... It is now time for me to reflect on a one in 70 million career and look forward to what’s coming next.”
“I have lived my dream for the last 10 years and conquered Mount Everest. ... Boxing is all I’ve ever known, but now let’s see what life has to offer on the other side of the ropes,” he added on social media.
Taylor retires with a record of 19-3 (13 KO), with the three losses coming in his last three bouts, and many would argue the losses should have started with his 2022 win over Jack Catterall, one of the most controversial decisions of this decade, maybe the most. After the controversy with Catterall, he dropped fights at 140 against Teofimo Lopez and then Catterall in a rematch, and his move to 147 earlier this year saw him fall short against Ekow Essuman.
But while Taylor has struggled the last few years, the peak of his career was genuinely pretty special, and that should not be forgotten.
Taylor won his first world title in 2019, beating Ivan Baranchyk to take the IBF belt at 140 lbs, and followed that with a big win over Regis Prograis five months later to win the World Boxing Super Series tournament and add the WBA title.
Taylor became undisputed in May 2021 when he went to Las Vegas and beat Jose Ramirez to fully unify the division, picking up the WBC and WBO titles that night.
Taylor still stands as Great Britain’s only four-belt, undisputed male champion.
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