Taylor is boxing clever in London

Bryan Copland • Published 30 Jul 2012 09:30 Comments 1 Comment

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PRESTONPANS boxer Josh Taylor won his first-round match at the London Olympics - beating Brazilian Robson Conceicao in front of a packed ExCel arena yesterday (Sunday).

The 21-year-old lightweight kept up a 100 per cent start for Team Great Britain's boxers, following wins from middleweight Anthony Ogogo and welterweight Fred Evans.

Conceicao started the fight confidently, but Taylor got the better of his rival in the latter stages of the first three-minute round, taking it 3-2.

The county competitor kept his composure into the second round, holding off the South American early on before putting in a series of punches as the round neared its end - which saw him pull 9-6 ahead.

Taylor completed a comprehensive victory by defending well in the final round despite Conceicao throwing everything he had at the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, winning the contest by four points.

It was Taylor's first experience of the ExCel - the former Docklands Arena - with strong support from the home crowd.

Following his fight, Taylor reportedly said: "I felt a bit tight and tense at first, in my first fight, but hopefully I'll start relaxing in the fight to come.

"I know what to expect now. I know what the crowd's like. So I'll relax and get my combinations going.

"I tried to hit and move, keep it long. That's what I tried to do throughout the whole fight. I sparred with him a couple of weeks ago and I knew he was really strong, so I knew I had to stay away from him."

The win takes the boxer into the last 16 of the contest, where he faces No 3 seed Domenico Valentino of Italy on Thursday night.

Valentino - who received a bye from the first round - is a former world champion.

Taylor added: "I've boxed him before. He's very technical - a good counter-fighter.

"I fought him in the Europeans last year, and there were two points in it. But I didn't have nutritional support then - I wasn't really clued up on that kind of stuff - and I am now."

Meanwhile, Meadowmill basketball star Rose Anderson, 24, was a member of the British side which took on Australia in their Group B match on Saturday.

The side were defeated 74-58, but have a chance to make amends when taking on Canada tonight (Monday) at 8pm.

Prestonpans' other Olympic representative, 28-year-old Joanne Morgan, also suffered defeat in her first Games appearance as part of the Team GB volleyball team to lose 3-0 to Russia on Saturday. She takes on Algeria tonight.

This article appeared in East Lothian Courier 30 Jul 12

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brianfoster
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Oct 23, 04:47
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It's a great journey for such young boxer Josh Taylor not only for Olympics but also for the higher promotions of boxing. I bet he will be one of the next sensation in terms of boxing just like the pacquiao vs marquez live streaming.

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Nov 28, 21:00
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Nov 30, 20:46
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