THE 140lbs World Boxing Super Series delivered in the most magnificent fashion when Scottish grit met American ambition and produced a classic.
The WBSS has a welcome habit of producing Fight of the Year contenders and the classic between victor Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis stands alongside any of the thrillers the tournament has given us over the last two seasons.
It was fast-paced, wild, classy and almightily close. In the end Taylor, a worthy winner, earned a majority decision with a too close 114-114, a too wide 117-112 and a more realistic 115-113.
Regardless, it was fabulous.
Taylor’s supremacy at super-lightweight can be questioned only by WBO, WBC champion Jose Ramirez. The Scot now holds WBA, IBF and The Ring titles.
But this is not just about the victor.
Prograis, a sporting success who emerged from a cultural disaster in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, had put on a hefty charm offensive in the UK and won fans with his easy-going demeanour, his hard-luck story and his tireless accessibility.
But all of that was nothing when compared to what he gave the fans at London’s O2 Arena. He could have been a jerk and they’d still have loved him for what he did. But he wasn’t. Not before the fight, not afterwards, either.
He started off smoothly in the early rounds, pivoting off his front foot to create angles for his shots while making him harder to catch. But Taylor was still scoring with a scattergun lead right; jabbing, hooking and firing uppercuts. A third round Prograis uppercut found the target. Taylor may have been more industrious offensively, but Prograis was more defensively adept.
The standard of action was impeccably high. The only thing it lacked was defining momentum shifts when one was severely hurt and had to fight back. That was testament to both their courage, chins and balls because they hurled plenty of grenades.
Referee Marcus McDonnell was a virtual bystander through the sixth. The pace was not slowing, the quality was not faltering. Taylor was at ease with the physical exchanges in the sixth, beat his chest in celebration at the close of the seventh and he began to build a lead into the championship rounds.
Unsurprisingly given what we learned about Prograis, he battled back breathlessly in rounds 11 and 12 as both sported the toil of battle.
By this stage both corners had all but abandoned tactical instructions. It was about who could rally their man to fight hardest and cross the finish line in front. It was brilliantly riveting.
Prograis bled around the mouth and from his nostrils, Taylor’s eight eye expanded and gruesomely swelled shut. Near the end, they screwed their front feet into the canvas to dig in hooks at one another. Taylor looked bigger and stronger, but whenever he looked like getting on top, Prograis kept him honest and traded back.
They showed the type of skill, grit, heart and talent that takes years to refine and even longer to be able to implement.
Taylor’s closing right eye caused him problems in the last. Prograis was finding a home for his left hand and the Scot looked rickety at times. Why wouldn’t he? But in keeping with the fight, he took some lumps and tore back into the visitor. As if they’d not inflicted enough damage by the end, they continued beyond the bell. There was next to nothing in it.
The winner is now knocking on door of the pound for pound rankings. The loser isn’t far behind.
Taylor sank to his knees and cried, overjoyed, exhausted and then adrenaline coursed through his veins and in one final passionate act he roared to his fans and soaked up their adulation.
It had been artful yet thoroughly violent, sporting but scientifically belligerent. It was everything we had hoped for between two of the best in their division and, equally important for the sport, it wasn’t shared just by two warriors but by decent men looking to test themselves and shake hands after. They didn’t only do that but they swapped praise in the ring and even took time out on Sunday to meet up and pose for pictures, smiling through their cracked and lumpy skin, eyes twinkling through swollen and discoloured slits. They were proud of each other and they could be proud of themselves. And that’s where the lesson is, or at least where it should be. Who now cares that Prograis has an ‘L’ on his record? No one should. Fans should queue round the block to see him again. In boxing it shouldn’t matter if you lose. It shouldn’t really matter how you lose. But if you give your best, if you give all you have, you will still be a champion.
As cliché as it may sound, boxing gave two men a standing ovation on Saturday night and both of them should be able to milk the applause into their next fights for they had shared another WBSS classic.
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