Ekow Essuman exclusive: I know I’m in for a live fight, it’s what I asked for

Ekow Essuman is revved up and ready to go.

The man known as “The Engine” is prepared for the serious task of facing former undisputed junior welterweight champion, Josh Taylor, in front of a hostile Scottish crowd on Saturday night. For all the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook

DAZN will stream the event live from Glasgow’s OVO Hydro arena.

Essuman (21-1, 8 KOs) is aware that he is backed right into the away corner this weekend.

Taylor (19-2, 13 KOs) will be making his debut in the welterweight division and all attention will be focused on whether the 34-year-old still has the drive and ambition to launch another world title campaign in a new weight division.

Essuman hasn’t managed to scale the heights that Taylor has but over the past year he has proven that, even at an advanced stage of his career, he is still as determined as ever to eventually get there.

“He will be fully firing”

In November 2023, the long reigning British and Commonwealth welterweight champion lost his belts and unbeaten record to Harry Scarff. He rebounded by winning two fight of the year contenders and putting himself in contention for the type of fight he has always wanted.

Essuman is experienced enough to know that he can’t afford to spend a single second thinking that Taylor will climb into the ring at anything other than his absolute best.

“He will be fully firing,” Essuman told 32Red.

“We’ve all been there, having a hard time and having to relight the fire and come back with a bit more vim and whatnot so I’m only expecting that but I’ve got more of that in the tank than he does.

“I know I’m in for a live fight but that’s what I asked for.”

Taking on an established world level operator like Taylor is a welcome departure for Essuman.

“Give me someone accomplished”

The 36-year-old made four defences of his British and Commonwealth titles and has made a career of turning away younger, hungry challengers.

After spending years proving himself time and time again at domestic level, he is looking forward to getting the chance to show what he can do in world class.

“I was getting sick of fighting all these super young prospects,” he said.

“I said, “Give me someone my age. Give me someone accomplished and I’ll show you exactly what I can do,” so I’m thankful.

“I can really assert myself”

“Not many have [done what I have]. It’s like, because of my age, I was just being tested.

“Is he really up for it? He hasn’t really got it? But you never find that out until you’re in the ring with me.

“When I beat Josh, I can really assert myself onto the world scene. That’s the plan.”

Beating Taylor would be by far the biggest win of Essuman’s career but he is planning on using it to catapult him onto even greater things.

The welterweight division is one of boxing’s glamorous weight classes and some of the sport’s most well known fighters have competed in the division. That is still the case today.

The 147lb division is the land of money and opportunity and whilst Essuman may be an unfashionable name today, that will all change if he gets past Taylor on Saturday night.

“The welterweight scene’s a very active scene,” he said. “It always has been. It’s full of a broad number of talents and it’s always been that way. Even when I was an amateur, it was that way.

“Loads of people pass through the weight on their way up or down so you can expect a wealth of different types of opponents, be it heavier lads or faster, lighter lads. Aside from heavyweight, it’s one of the best weights to be in in terms of proving your actual worth because it’s a hard weight to attain stuff in.”

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