Unbeaten junior welterweight Josh Taylor has no worries about Freddie Roach being the head trainer for IBF world champion Ivan Baranchyk.
Roach will lead Baranchyk as he defends his world title against Taylor on May 18th at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro.
Their contest will be part of the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series junior welterweight tournament.
While Taylor is a big fan of Roach and his 17 years or work with eight division champion Manny Pacquiao, he doesn't believes the Hall of Famer trainer will make a difference in the outcome.
And he's even more confident of the fact that Roach hasn't been working with Baranchyk for too long.
“I was a massive fan of Pacquiao, he was my hero,” Taylor told The Evening Times. “But Baranchyk having Freddie Roach in his corner doesn’t bother me. I think he has too many fighters to be concentrating on one fighter at a time. He hasn’t been able to give Baranchyk enough time, the kind of time it would need to beat a fighter like myself.
“So having Freddie Roach in his corner is irrelevant. He only joined him eight weeks ago. And having a brand new trainer, for only eight weeks for your first defence of a world title, is not the best of the moves. How well does he really know Baranchyk? How well does he know he works? I’m not bothered, I really am not fazed at all. I don’t think it will have any bearing on the fight. Eight weeks with a new trainer for your first defence against a fighter like myself, I don’t think it is a great move.”
If Baranchyk attempts to make it a war or attempts to make it a boxing match - Taylor feels confident of winning either scenario.
“I think Baranchyk’s only chance is to come forward and have a go from the get go, the first bell,” said Taylor. “He is going to come out swinging to try to get me to come out and have a fight on his terms. But I am smart enough and I believe I can outfight him anyway. And if he tries to box me I don’t think he has any chance of outboxing me.”