Undisputed junior welterweight fighter Josh Taylor dismissed Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis’ status as WBA interim champion and said he would find it easy to defeat him.
Davis moved up to 140lbs in order to fight Mario Barrios last month, winning the WBA strap, but does not appear likely to press his case for another fight at the weight, least of all a mandatory challenger at the outright champion, Taylor.
Speaking to Boxing Social, the Scot was confident in his chances should the pair ever meet.
“Listen, I would absolutely destroy [Davis]. It’s a good fight, it’s a big fight, but I would absolutely take him to bits. I would absolutely smash him to pieces,” Taylor said.
“I’m not calling [Gervonta] out. I just think he’s a little p—. He’s not even on my radar; I’m not even thinking about him … He is a very good fighter, very skillful, but he was getting outboxed by Mario the majority of the fight.”
Leonard Ellerbe had criticised Taylor’s worth as a draw at American venues, and other fighters across the pond have appeared reticent to come to Scotland for a shot at his four betls.
“So [Ellerbe] talking s— that I’m not a big draw. I am a big draw,” responded Taylor.
“Let’s not forget, that was the restrictions in Vegas at the time, and that’s all that was allowed ... I would have taken thousands of fans over to Vegas if it was open.”
On Davis’ status as a champion, Taylor failed to see the merit in his designation.
“They can call themselves whatever they want, but it’s fiction, it’s fantasy,” he said.
“They’re not a champion at 140. There’s only one, and that’s me,” said Taylor. “That’s what I hate about boxing. There are too many belts — interim belts, and diamond belts, and regular and super.”