KEY POINTS

  • Super lightweight boxing champ Josh Taylor wants to move to welterweight in the future
  • Taylor is open to fighting Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford
  • Pacquiao admitted he is looking forward to taking on Mikey Garcia

Super lightweight boxing champion Josh Taylor knows exactly who he wants to face in the future.

After an impressive 17-fight winning streak in the pros, Taylor is looking to take his career to another level.

Taylor is scheduled to fight Jose Carlos Ramirez on May 22. However, the reigning WBA and IBF super lightweight champion already has his eyes on some bigger challenges.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Brit revealed his plans of moving up to welterweight. Like some of the world champions in their prime, Taylor is also dreaming of sharing the ring with his “hero” Manny Pacquiao, whom he also described as a “funny” person.

"After this [Ramirez fight], it will be to move up to 147 pounds and chase a second weight world title to really cement my reign in the history books,” Taylor revealed.

"To share a ring with my hero [Manny] Pacquiao? That would be brilliant," he admitted. "How many people can say they shared a ring with their hero and beat them? Not many. He's funny, he sings, he puts on a Scottish accent, his fighting style, he's a people's champion, a really nice person, he gives money to feed people.”

Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao beat Adrien Broner on Saturday night to retain his WBA welterweight title. In this picture, Pacquiao in the ring during the WBA welterweight championship against Adrien Broner at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 19, 2019. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

"He's an absolute gentleman and his fighting style is ferocious--a southpaw with fast hand who can fight like hell," he added.

With notable wins over Regis Prograis and Thailand’s Apinun Khongsong, Taylor takes pride of what he has accomplished in his stellar boxing career.

The 30-year-old is optimistic about becoming an “undisputed” champion in the future and is also open to fighting other undefeated champs, including Terence Crawford.

Terence Crawford
Terence Crawford became a three-weight champion after his win over Jeff Horn. In this picture, Crawford celebrates his ninth-round TKO victory over Horn in their WBO welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 9, 2018. Steve Marcus/Getty Images

"I've achieved the goal I set out with, to become world champion," the southpaw boxer reflected. "Becoming undisputed and two-weight world champion were further out, more farfetched dreams.”

"[Terence] Crawford? Of course, he's on my radar,” he continued. “It would be a massive fight--two undisputed champions fighting. These are all longer-term goals. All I'm thinking about now is Ramirez and winning those four belts."

Aside from Taylor, an array of world champions in lighter divisions has been longing to get a shot at Pacquiao.

However, the sport’s only eight-division titlist has already earmarked Mikey Garcia as his opponent of choice while also staying in touch with Crawford’s team.

“We’re leaning towards Mikey Garcia, but we’re also talking to [Terence] Crawford,” Pacquiao told Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN. “It depends on who I get to face, what’s important is I’m ready.”

“We never really got complacent,” the Filipino boxer added. “We’ve always continuously worked out. We keep on playing basketball aside from boxing. Actually, right after my fight the last time with [Keith] Thurman, I didn’t work out boxing, but I kept playing basketball."

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