Liam Taylor was in fantastic condition as he weighed in ahead of his European welterweight title clash with David Avanesyan on Saturday night.
Taylor (23-1-1, 11 KOs) challenges Avanesyan (27-3-1, 15 KOs) for his title at Wembley Arena on Saturday, with the fight broadcast live on Sky Sports.
“I’ll fight anybody. I’ve worked hard to get into this position to be mandatory. David is a world class fighter, but this is just another fight and I’ve prepared well. This is the right fight for me,” Taylor said.
“I truly believe I’d have beaten Josh Kelly like David did. Kelly was a really good amateur, but as a professional he hasn’t grasped it yet. You’ve got to work for 12 rounds, and he gassed after a few. David fought well and broke him down, but I’d have done the same thing.
“Our styles will gel well into a good fight. He’s a stand up boxer and likes to come and fight, but I’m not afraid to have a fight as well. This will gel really well for the fans. I don’t like taking a backward step.”
The weigh-in took place on Friday, with Taylor tipping the scales at 146lbs 3oz, while Avanesyan was slightly lighter at 145lbs 15oz.
Taylor was last in action in July, stopping Tommy Broadbent in the first round, following on from an impressive unanimous decision win over Darren Tetley in a fight of the year contender in August 2020.
He now faces Avanesyan, who stopped Josh Kelly in February to make the third successful defence of the European title he won back in 2019.
“I have worked hard, and my team have worked hard to get me the fights. It is not my problem or my fault that I am avoided, but now I have Liam Taylor which is good news for me,” Avanesyan said.
“I’ve been training a lot, and on Saturday I hope everything goes well. I hope to have the same performance as I did the last time against Josh Kelly. I am coming to win. I feel good with no injuries, and we’ll give a great fight for the fans.”