Taylor ‘sadly’ announces retirement over eye issue

Josh Taylor, the ex-undisputed world champion, says it’s “sadly necessary” to announce his medical retirement.

The 34-year-old Scot had eye surgery in February of last year, and specialists had advised him that continuing boxing would put his eyes in danger following his defeat by Ekow Essuman in May.

He was the first male fighter to win all four belts in a single division, and he is still the only one.

Right, Taylor said in a statement, “This isn’t a simple post for me to write, but it’s sadly necessary based on the advice of my doctors.

I’ve had a recurring eye condition that, regrettably, has forced me to call a time off my career or risk losing my vision as has been previously reported.

“I know I must listen to the medical professionals and save myself from myself, even though the fighter in me always wants to box on.”

Although it’s not the way I wanted to bow out, I must pay attention to the doctors and those who are close by.

Taylor, a talented amateur, won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games at the Hydro in Glasgow, beating out his silver medal at the 2010 Games in Delhi, and he represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London two years later.

Some of Taylor’s best nights would be at that venue, including his victory over Ivan Baranchyk in the 2019 edition of his first world title.

The Scot defeated American legend Regis Prograis in a classic fight in London to reclaim the WBC and IBF light-welterweight titles later that year.

For all four belts, that in turn set up a showdown with Jose Ramirez, a different US fighter, in Las Vegas in May 2021. Taylor became the undisputed champion of the world after defeating Ramirez twice on the way to a points victory.

The decline in Taylor’s career, which included injury and inactivity, has been a blight for the past few years, as a result of a controversial points win over England’s Jack Catterall in February 2022.

He lost the last of his world titles to Teofimo Lopez in New York in 2023 and was defeated by Catterall in their rematch in Leeds last year despite having vacated three of his four belts due to a string of injury issues.