Former undisputed champion Josh Taylor has retired from boxing aged 34, saying he has been forced to hang up his gloves due to recurring eye injury.
Taylor (19-3, 13 KOs), Britain’s first undisputed champion of the four-belt era, said on Monday that he has been forced to retire after taking medical advice.
“As has been publicised before, I’ve had a recurring issue with my eye that unfortunately means now I have to call time on my career or risk losing my eyesight,” he said in a social media post.
“Whilst the fighter in me will always want to box on, I know I have to listen to the medical professionals and save me from myself.”
Taylor will go down as one of the greatest Scottish boxers of all time and a legend of the sport in Britain for his accomplishments.
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After winning silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and gold in Glasgow in 2014, he rose through the professional ranks with seven straight knockout wins before winning his first world title in his 15th fight, beating Ivan Baranchyk.
Taylor went on to win the World Boxing Super Series final in 2019, beating Regis Prograis at London’s O2 Arena, where he also unified the super lightweight division, picking up the WBA title.
In 2021, he became undisputed champion, beating Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas to add the WBC and WBO belts to his collection.
Taylor’s career ends on a losing trend after points defeats in his last three fights to Ekow Essuman in May, to Catterall in May last year, and to Teofimo Lopez in June 2023.
“It is certainly not the way I wanted to bow out but I have to listen to the doctors and those around me.
“I am just a kid from the Pans who scaled the very top of the sport but I could not have done it without those who have supported me through thick and thin.”