Josh Taylor (born 2 January 1991) is a Scottish former professional boxer from Prestonpans, East Lothian, who competed from 2015 to 2025. Per Wikipedia, he is a former undisputed light-welterweight champion, having held the IBF and WBA (Super) titles between 2019 and 2022, the WBC title between 2021 and 2022, the WBO title between 2021 and 2023 and the Ring magazine title between 2019 and 2023. At regional level, he held the Commonwealth light-welterweight title from 2016 to 2017.
From May 2021 to May 2022, Taylor — nicknamed "The Tartan Tornado" — reigned as the undisputed light-welterweight champion, unifying all four major titles and becoming only the sixth male boxer to do so; with his win over José Ramírez in 2021 he became the second Scotsman to be an undisputed champion and the first Briton to do so in the four-belt era. He defended the titles in a controversial split decision over Jack Catterall in February 2022, lost the WBO and Ring titles to Teofimo Lopez in June 2023, and retired in July 2025 on medical advice after further losses to Catterall and Ekow Essuman.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Josh Taylor
- Born: 2 January 1991 — Prestonpans, East Lothian, UK
- Nationality: Scottish
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
- Reach: 69½ in (177 cm)
- Stance: Southpaw
- Pro debut: 18 Jul 2015 (Win by TKO vs Archie Weah)
- Last bout: 24 May 2025 (Loss by UD vs Ekow Essuman)
- Total rounds boxed: 151 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Light-welterweight, Welterweight
- KO percentage: 68.4% (13 KO wins in 19 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): IBF light-welterweight title May 18, 2019 – 2022 (won from Ivan Baranchyk); WBA (Super) light-welterweight title October 26, 2019 – 2022 (won from Regis Prograis); WBC light-welterweight title May 22, 2021 – 2022 (won from José Ramírez); WBO light-welterweight title May 22, 2021 – June 10, 2023 (won from José Ramírez; lost to Teofimo Lopez); The Ring light-welterweight title October 26, 2019 – June 10, 2023 — undisputed light-welterweight champion May 22, 2021 – May 2022
- Born: 2 January 1991 — Prestonpans, East Lothian, UK
- Nationality: Scottish
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
- Reach: 69½ in (177 cm)
- Stance: Southpaw
- Divisions: Light-welterweight, Welterweight
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 22
- Wins: 19
- Wins by KO: 13
- Losses: 3
- Losses by KO: 0
- Draws: 0
- No contests: 0
- Born: 2 January 1991 — Prestonpans, East Lothian, UK
- Nationality: Scottish
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
- Reach: 69½ in (177 cm)
- Stance: Southpaw
- Divisions: Light-welterweight, Welterweight
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 Jul 2015 | Archie Weah | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 1:53 | Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas, US |
| 2 | 16 Oct 2015 | Adam Mate | Win | TKO | 1 (6), 1:25 | Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 3 | 20 Nov 2015 | Daniel Cosmin Minescu | Win | TKO | 1 (4), 0:45 | Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| 4 | 27 Feb 2016 | Lyes Chaibi | Win | KO | 2 (6), 1:40 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England |
| 5 | 14 May 2016 | Miguel Alberto González Mena | Win | TKO | 1 (6), 1:33 | Ice Arena Wales, Cardiff, Wales |
| 6 | 30 Jul 2016 | Evincii Dixon | Win | RTD | 2 (8), 3:00 | Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, US |
| 7 | 21 Oct 2016 | Dave Ryan | Win | TKO | 5 (12), 2:45 | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Won vacant Commonwealth light-welterweight title |
| 8 | 28 Jan 2017 | Alfonso Olvera | Win | UD | 8 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US |
| 9 | 24 Mar 2017 | Warren Joubert | Win | TKO | 6 (12), 1:27 | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained Commonwealth light-welterweight title |
| 10 | 8 Jul 2017 | Ohara Davies | Win | TKO | 7 (12), 2:25 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained Commonwealth light-welterweight title; Won WBC Silver light-welterweight title |
| 11 | 11 Nov 2017 | Miguel Vázquez | Win | KO | 9 (12), 2:30 | Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title |
| 12 | 3 Mar 2018 | Winston Campos | Win | TKO | 3 (12), 0:44 | SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title |
| 13 | 23 Jun 2018 | Viktor Postol | Win | UD | 12 | SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title |
| 14 | 3 Nov 2018 | Ryan Martin | Win | TKO | 7 (12), 2:21 | SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title; World Boxing Super Series: Light-welterweight quarter-final |
| 15 | 18 May 2019 | Ivan Baranchyk | Win | UD | 12 | SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Won IBF light-welterweight title; World Boxing Super Series: Light-welterweight semi-final |
| 16 | 26 Oct 2019 | Regis Prograis | Win | MD | 12 | The O2 Arena, London, England — ★ Title fight — Retained IBF light-welterweight title; Won WBA (Super) and vacant The Ring light-welterweight titles; World Boxing Super Series: Light-welterweight final |
| 17 | 26 Sep 2020 | Apinun Khongsong | Win | KO | 1 (12), 2:41 | York Hall, London, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 18 | 22 May 2021 | José Ramírez | Win | UD | 12 | Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, US — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring light-welterweight titles; Won WBC and WBO light-welterweight titles |
| 19 | 26 Feb 2022 | Jack Catterall | Win | SD | 12 | OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 20 | 10 Jun 2023 | Teofimo Lopez | Loss | UD | 12 | Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost WBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 21 | 25 May 2024 | Jack Catterall | Loss | UD | 12 | First Direct Arena, Leeds, England |
| 22 | 24 May 2025 | Ekow Essuman | Loss | UD | 12 | OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland — ★ Title fight — For vacant WBO Global welterweight title |
Titles & notes
Major title reigns (start–end): IBF light-welterweight title May 18, 2019 – 2022 (won from Ivan Baranchyk); WBA (Super) light-welterweight title October 26, 2019 – 2022 (won from Regis Prograis); WBC light-welterweight title May 22, 2021 – 2022 (won from José Ramírez); WBO light-welterweight title May 22, 2021 – June 10, 2023 (won from José Ramírez; lost to Teofimo Lopez); The Ring light-welterweight title October 26, 2019 – June 10, 2023 — undisputed light-welterweight champion May 22, 2021 – May 2022
- 21 Oct 2016 vs Dave Ryan: Won vacant Commonwealth light-welterweight title
- 24 Mar 2017 vs Warren Joubert: Retained Commonwealth light-welterweight title
- 8 Jul 2017 vs Ohara Davies: Retained Commonwealth light-welterweight title; Won WBC Silver light-welterweight title
- 11 Nov 2017 vs Miguel Vázquez: Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title
- 3 Mar 2018 vs Winston Campos: Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title
- 23 Jun 2018 vs Viktor Postol: Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title
- 3 Nov 2018 vs Ryan Martin: Retained WBC Silver light-welterweight title; World Boxing Super Series: Light-welterweight quarter-final
- 18 May 2019 vs Ivan Baranchyk: Won IBF light-welterweight title; World Boxing Super Series: Light-welterweight semi-final
- 26 Oct 2019 vs Regis Prograis: Retained IBF light-welterweight title; Won WBA (Super) and vacant The Ring light-welterweight titles; World Boxing Super Series: Light-welterweight final
- 26 Sep 2020 vs Apinun Khongsong: Retained WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring light-welterweight titles
- 22 May 2021 vs José Ramírez: Retained WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring light-welterweight titles; Won WBC and WBO light-welterweight titles
- 26 Feb 2022 vs Jack Catterall: Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring light-welterweight titles
- 10 Jun 2023 vs Teofimo Lopez: Lost WBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles
- 24 May 2025 vs Ekow Essuman: For vacant WBO Global welterweight title
Photo: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports via Wikimedia Commons (GODL-India). Featured image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/XIX_Commonwealth_Games_2010_Josh_Taylor_%28cropped%29.jpg
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved 2026-10-27.
