By Mark Vester
Living a tough life, Shannan Taylor (48-6, 34KOs), 36, is preparing for what may become the last big fight of his career. He will meet rival Anthony Mundine (34-3, 23KOs) on February 11 at the Entertainment Centre in New South Wales, Australia. The vacant WBA International middleweight title is on the line.
"To me this is a title fight. Mentally it's a title fight. I'm preparing my body for war," Taylor told The Daily Telegraph . "I'm more focused than I have ever been in my whole life. When I want something I can do anything. Right now I want something. Guess what? I want Mundine. He's in trouble.
"I've known Choc since his football days. He talks like an idiot in the press but I am always first to defend the guy. I don't want him to disrespect me. I got so much respect for him, which is why I am doing 5am runs when I know he is sleeping in. If Choc thinks this ain't a fight, he'll wake up the next day crying over his cornflakes."
Few people believed that Taylor would ever return regain his footing in the rankings. For a few years after his 2001 loss to Shane Mosley, he turned to drugs and lived a lifestyle that almost took his life.
"I went down to Mosley and I was ready to give up boxing, so I partied with the white stuff," Taylor said. "At one stage I was ready to give up altogether. I overdosed on the couch in my house, but luckily my running partner came to pick me up and rushed me to hospital. I stuffed up and I am ashamed of that. I didn't have the right people in my corner. They didn't really believe in me."
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