Prestonpans boxing sensation Josh Taylor 'wants to be a legend' of the sport, according to his Cyclone Promotions trainer Shane McGuigan

Taylor admitted his vastly-experienced Mexican opponent Miguel Vazquez provided him the sternest test of his 11-fight career before the county star became the first man to stop the former world champion, in the ninth round.

Speaking immediately after the fight, Shane – son of Taylor’s manager and hall of fame boxer Barry McGuigan – was not wholly pleased with the Tartan Tornado’s performance.

He said: “Judges can pick up on body language and he was getting frustrated so that’s one of the biggest things he’ll have picked up from tonight is that he has to be poker-faced and show nothing.

“He’s still a little bit green to the fact that everyone is watching him – his opponents and the judges – and he has to make sure he’s not giving away any chinks in the armour.”

Despite identifying areas to work on, McGuigan (pictured above, right) described Taylor’s victory as “phenomenal” and hailed the 26-year-old as “fantastically talented”.

He believes Taylor will develop his ‘poker face’ as he makes his way through the ranks and faces more challenging opponents. 

McGuigan, 28, added: “It’s just experience – that’s only his 11th fight. He’s been in 12-round fights since his seventh fight and he’s done so much in such a short space of time.

“He’s just stopped a guy who’s fought Canelo twice, Timothy Bradley and all the top names and defended the belt for four years.
“He has got it all but he has to realise that there are some things you can’t teach and he’s got to learn them when he’s out there.”

The Cyclone Promotions trainer hopes other boxers in the stable will help to bring Taylor on. 

“He is learning but it’s funny because he’s in the gym with guys like George Groves and he’s installing some streetwise in Josh, but it’s one thing learning it and another doing it,” he said.

McGuigan revealed that while the Prestonpans star seems set for a world title bout within a year, his goal is to become a boxing legend.

“Ninety per cent of boxers hear they will be fighting for the world title in a year, they believe their own hype and it goes to their head,” he said.

“He comes into the gym and he knows he has to work – he knows he’s not the finished article. Josh doesn’t just want to be a world champion – he wants to be a legend.

“He won’t stop at the title, he wants to unify the division and go through the weights. 

“He wants to be an icon in boxing.”