'I'm a lot happier' - Josh Taylor speaks on leaving 'shambolic' Cyclone Promotions and teaming up with Top Rank

World champ has new goals and a much happier life

Josh Taylor is much happier after swapping Cyclone Promotions for MTK Global

World super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor has revealed he is in a much happier place now he is under the eye of new trainer Ben Davison.

The 29-year-old Prestonpans puncher severed ties with Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions and former trainer Shane in January, electing to sign a multi-year deal with Las Vegas-based Top Rank. He also agreed an advisory deal with MTK Global that he shall fight both in Britain and in the US.

Taylor took some time to weigh up his next move before coming to an agreement with Davison, who is the former trainer of new world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

However, speaking to the Evening News from his base in Manchester, the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist insists he is in a much better headspace as he prepares to defend his WBA and IBF titles against Thailand’s Apinun Kohongsong at the SSE Hydro in May.

“I’m a lot happier than what I had been,” Taylor explained. “There’s been no stress and thinking about other things so I can solely concentrate on my boxing. Training isn’t just the same hard grind every day, there’s technical sessions and they’re really enjoyable. Everything with Top Rank has also been great so far, no hiccups or anything like that.

“I left (Cyclone) because I wasn’t being treated right. I wasn’t being properly managed, it was a shambles. I know I’ve made the right decision and I am just looking forward now. When I felt I wanted to go elsewhere, and I’d been looking around at other trainers, Ben always popped up and I just felt he suited my style.

“I’d been watching videos of him on the pads with Billy Joe (Saunders) and the type of training that they were doing and the combination punching really appealed to me.

“I went out to Dubai with Ben and the team but I didn’t really get a feel for it as it was more like a holiday camp. However, I got a taster on the pads and I just took to it straight away. I had a week with Adam Booth too and I enjoyed that as well but I just felt there was going to be too many fighters in the gym and I wouldn’t get the time I need. So Ben is the right guy to take me forward.

“We train at (Ricky) Hatton’s gym and then do night sessions at the gym in the hotel where I am staying while in camp so it’s working out well.”