Pryce Taylor is keen to show that his real edge over Michael Polite Coffie is not just limited to his youth.

An unbeaten heavyweight prospect, Taylor is set to do battle against a ring veteran 10 years his senior in Coffie. Their scheduled eight-round clash will air live Saturday on DAZN from Fox Theater in Detroit. 

On paper, it is the sternest test to date for the 29-year-old Taylor, 9-0 (6 KOs), a two-year pro from Brooklyn, New York. The 39-year-old Coffie, 13-5 (10 KOs) has seen better days but can still pose a risk for a young fighter not mentally at the top of his game. 

That’s where Taylor believes he separates from the rest of the pack. 

“Age isn’t the problem; it is the skill level,” Taylor told BoxingScene. “It is what he has learned while he was boxing, and it doesn’t look like he learned what I learned.

“He just stopped learning at a certain point. That’s what happens when you get complacent.”

Their recent ring outings certainly tell that story.

Taylor has steadily improved as his team has increased the opposition level. Conversely, Coffie – a U.S. Marine from The Bronx, New York who served during wartime in Afghanistan – has lost three in a row and five of his past six contests. 

Worse, Coffie – who is now based out of Kissimmee, Florida – has not fought since a December 2023 defeat to unbeaten Damian Knyba. 

Taylor is coming off a July unanimous decision win over Robert Simms. The victory snapped his four-fight knockout streak. 

When looking at this fight on paper, it is regarded as a step-up in competition.

“It is just paper,” Taylor told BoxingScene when asked about the matchup. “IRL [In real life] is what matters.”

Taylor dreams of one day fighting at the Barclays Center in his hometown or Madison Square Garden in New York City. To get to those stages, he has to look impressive. 

That said, Taylor was humble in his approach ahead of the bout, but confident in his victory.

“I am not much of a talker; I like to show my skills in the ring,” Taylor said. “If it isn’t a knockout, it will be a win by points.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.