Josh Taylor to face Ryan Martin in World Boxing Super Series

WBC Silver super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor will face American Ryan Martin in the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Super Series.

Edinburgh's Josh Taylor. Picture: TSPL

Taylor, 27, was the No.2 seed at the gala draft event in Moscow today and is now just three victories from becoming world champion and winner of the Muhammad Ali Trophy.

Following last month’s unanimous points win over Ukraine’s former world champion Viktor Postol – the 13th of the Prestonpans puncher’s professional career – Taylor has become the mandatory challenger for the WBC title, currently held by American Jose Carlos Ramirez.

However, Taylor and Cyclone Promotions chief Barry McGuigan have chosen this season’s WBSS as an alternative route to the top.

The annual boxing tournament, which started in October with both super-middleweight and cruiserweight divisions, pitches the best eight boxers from selected divisions around the world. This year the super-lightweight and bantamweight divisions will take centre stage.

It’s expected Taylor will box undefeated Martin (22-0) in September or October, although a venue is still to be confirmed.

The remaining quarter-final ties in the super-lightweight division sees interim world champion and No.1 seed Regis Prograis against England’s Terry Flanagan, Ivan Baranchyk vs Anthony Yigit and Kiryl Relikh vs Eduard Troyanovsky.