New champion alert: Josh Taylor outguns Ivan Baranchyk for IBF 140-pound title

By Scott Shaffer

18/05/2019

New champion alert: Josh Taylor outguns Ivan Baranchyk for IBF 140-pound title

Josh Taylor W12 Ivan Baranchyk... Scotland's Josh "The Tartan Tornado" Taylor had the kind of night every boxer dreams about. Fighting in his home nation, Taylor took away Ivan Baranchyk's undefeated record, became the IBF junior welterweight champion and punched his ticket for a World Boxing Super Series final bout, where he will unify vs. WBC champion Regis Prograis and compete for the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Both men were cut from an early clash of heads, with Taylor getting the worst of it. It was an excellent, fast-paced fight. Taylor knocked Baranchyk down twice in round six, the first time from a right on the button, the second time just before the round ended. "If I had more time in that round, it would have been game over," said Taylor in his post-fight interview. Baranchyk proved himself to be in tremendous shape, comingout for the seventh fully recovered and continuing to press forward against his taller foe. Baranchyk landed some hard punches, but Taylor landed more, picking off Baranchyk on the way in, and generally controlling the action.  Taylor did, however, make the fight more difficult (and more exciting) than it needed to be, as he did not move around enough to take full advantage of his superior height and reach. The official scores were 117-109 and 115-111 (twice). Taylor is listed at 15-0 but had additional pro fights, including at least one loss in AIBA's World Series of Boxing competition. Prograis was in attendance and jokingly offered to fight Taylor in Scotland. The location of Taylor-Prograis will be determined by the World Boxing Super Series organizers. Baranchyk (19-1) should take a few months off after this tough fight, but he remains a world-level contender whose stock remains high.  source: dazn