The Night Josh Taylor Didn’t Want to Talk
By the time Josh Taylor left the ring at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday night, it wasn’t just a fight he had lost. It was something deeper—something that stung in a way punches don’t. The crowd had shown up hoping to see their hero return to form. Instead, they witnessed a man still chasing his old shadow, and maybe, finally realizing it’s not catching up.
Taylor didn’t give an interview in the ring. No mic in hand, no post-fight speech, no fire, no fury. Just a quiet exit. And in boxing, silence sometimes says the most.
A Different Kind of Defeat
Saturday was supposed to mark a fresh start for Taylor. A new division—welterweight. A new promoter—Queensberry Promotions. A new chapter. But the book didn’t open the way he hoped.
Facing Ekow Essuman, a fighter with talent but little top-tier experience, Taylor was expected to take control. He didn’t. From round one, it felt off. The timing. The movement. The spark. Everything that used to make Taylor special seemed dulled. He looked like a man who was searching—for rhythm, for answers, maybe even for himself.
Essuman didn’t do anything flashy, but he didn’t need to. He was calm, sharp, and hungry. He stuck to his game plan, and it worked. By the end of 12 rounds, there was no debate. The judges didn’t have to think hard. It was a clean sweep for Essuman.
And just like that, Taylor had his third straight loss. In front of his home crowd. In his new weight class. On a night that was supposed to reignite something, it instead extinguished more hope.
A Long Way From the Top
It’s easy to forget how recently Josh Taylor was one of boxing’s elite. In 2021, he unified the 140-pound division, beating Jose Ramirez in a thrilling clash. He was undefeated, proud, and atop the world. A working-class Scottish kid who had conquered boxing’s brutal ladder.
But the climb down has been faster than the climb up.
His controversial win over Jack Catterall in 2022 left a bitter taste—not just for fans, but maybe for Taylor too. Many believed he lost that fight. And though he technically won, it felt like something cracked. The rematch never happened on time. Injuries piled up. And when he returned, he ran into Teofimo Lopez, who beat him convincingly. Now, with the loss to Essuman, it’s three in a row. Three fights where the old Josh Taylor was nowhere to be found.
That’s not just a rough patch. That’s a career turning point.
He Didn’t Want to Say the Wrong Thing
A few hours after the fight, Taylor took to social media to break his silence. And it wasn’t bravado or excuses—it was a sincere, vulnerable message.
“I would just like to apologise to all the fans for leaving the ring before having an interview,” he wrote. “I didn’t want to say something in the heat of the moment or something I’d regret on live TV.”
You could almost feel the weight behind those words. He didn’t leave the ring out of disrespect. He left because he didn’t trust what he might say. That’s not cowardice. That’s honesty.
He went on to thank the fans—those who’ve backed him for the past 10 years, who have turned out in cities big and small, who still roar when his name is announced. “Despite the result, last night was still special,” he wrote. “It’s another memory I’ll carry forever.”
That post may not have healed the hurt, but it reminded people why they rooted for him in the first place.
Giving Credit Where It’s Due
Even in disappointment, Taylor didn’t forget the man who beat him. He posted a photo of himself with Essuman—both fighters side-by-side, bruised but smiling. “Respect after our fight,” he captioned it. “Congrats on a good win. Respect you, your team, and your family.”
That’s boxing at its best. Two men going to war, and walking away with mutual respect. It’s the part casual fans don’t always see, but real fight lovers live for.
What Happens Now
So, what’s next?
That’s the million-dollar question. Taylor is 34, not old in everyday terms, but boxing is a different world. He’s had a tough career, filled with wars and injuries. And the last few years haven’t been kind to him.
He could retire now and walk away with a proud resume: an undisputed champion, a national hero, and a fighter who took on anyone. Or he could stick around and try for one last surge.
There’s talk of him watching Jack Catterall’s next fight in July. If Catterall beats Harlem Eubank, maybe a trilogy makes sense. Maybe there’s one last chapter left in the rivalry. Or maybe Taylor’s body—and his heart—have already told him the answer.
It’s hard to say. But what’s clear is this: If Josh Taylor fights again, it’ll be because he wants to, not because he needs to.
Source: Josh Taylor resisted reacting to defeat ‘in the heat of the moment’
The Legacy Isn’t Gone
Even now, with the losses adding up, it’s wrong to forget what Josh Taylor did for boxing in the UK—and Scotland especially. He made people care. He packed arenas. He brought big nights to a country often overlooked on the global boxing stage.
And when he was in his prime, he was brilliant. Fast, aggressive, technical, tough. He fought with fire. And he earned every title he won.
That legacy doesn’t vanish just because of a few losses. But whether he builds on it or closes the chapter—only he knows.
The Silence Meant Something
There was something strangely powerful about Taylor walking away from the microphone on Saturday night. It wasn’t like the loud, angry exits we see from some fighters. It wasn’t bitterness. It was a quiet moment between a man and the end of something he’s still trying to define.
That silence told us this loss hurt. Not just professionally, but personally. And that’s why fans should be patient with what comes next.
Taylor doesn’t owe anyone a next fight. But whatever he chooses, he deserves the space to choose it on his own terms.
Because when you’ve given as much of yourself to boxing as Josh Taylor has—sometimes the hardest fight is the one inside.
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