PRESTONPANS boxer Josh Taylor is targeting a “career best performance” when he steps in the ring to defend his WBC Silver super lightweight title on Saturday.

But when the bell rings at the SSE Hydro, the man standing across from Taylor will not be former two-weight world champion Humberto Soto.

The Mexican pulled out of the title bout just a week ahead of the fight after suffering a cut during a sparring session.

And with the eye injury requiring stitches, he has been replaced by Nicaragua’s Winston Campos.

While Taylor (pictured right) admitted that news of Soto’s withdrawal was a “bit of a shock”, he added “these things happen in boxing” and thanked his Cyclone Promotions team for finding a replacement.

He said: “I wish Humberto all the best in his recovery but now I’m 100 per cent focused on defending my title against Campos.”

Like former Preston Lodge High School pupil Taylor, 25-year-old Campos is a southpaw and will provide the county ace, dubbed the Tartan Tornado, a different challenge to right-handed Soto.

The undefeated county star described his new opponent as a “rangy southpaw” but said he was “very confident” of victory.

Blain McGuigan, son of ex-world champion Barry McGuigan who runs Cyclone Promotions, added: “We were informed that Soto had sustained a serious cut during a sparring session and he would not be able to compete.

“Josh now has to focus on Winston Campos, who is a hard-punching southpaw full of confidence and he will be hell-bent on taking Josh’s title.”

Despite being the younger fighter, Campos is vastly more experienced as a professional and is undefeated in four-and-a-half years – his last loss came to ex-WBC world lightweight champion Ismael Barroso.

Campos, nicknamed El Zurdo (Left-hander), goes into Saturday’s bout with a record of 30 wins, three defeats and five draws.

He said he was “coming to Glasgow to shock the world” and added: “I’m delighted to get this opportunity. I was in training for another fight when I got the call.

“He [Taylor] is talented, no doubt, but I’m cut from a different cloth; I’m from the streets of Managua.

“I have the style to give him nightmares and I’m very confident that I can rip that title from him.”

Haddington’s Iain Trotter will appear on the undercard (see story above right), while Taylor’s bout will be shown live on Channel 5.

A limited number of tickets are available through Ticketmaster.