Taylor vs Essuman betting preview

All eyes will be on Glasgow’s OVO Hydro arena on Saturday night as Josh Taylor returns to action.

After a long, distinguished career at junior welterweight, the former undisputed world champion will step up to 147lbs and looks sure to encounter plenty of resistance from tough former British champion Ekow Essuman. For all the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.

There is plenty of intrigue on the undercard.

Heavyweight prodigy, Moses Itauma, continues his blistering start to his career against America’s Mike Balogun and there is a clash of unbeaten fighters when Aston Brown fights Reece Porter for the Scottish Area middleweight title.

There are three other intriguing fights on the card and each other plenty of potential value.

ALOYS JUNIOR (9-1, 8 KOs) V DAVID JAMIESON (13-3, 10 KOs)

The cruiserweight battle between Aloys Junior and David Jamieson looks certain to produce fireworks.

Two years ago, Jamieson struggled with Chev Clarke’s use of angles and ability to fight inside and was stopped inside five rounds of a British title eliminator.

Junior hasn’t got Clarke’s amateur pedigree. He turned professional as an 18 year-old and has quickly developed into a dangerous if inexperienced operator. What the Londoner does have is rare explosiveness and fight ending power.

If he can get close to Jamieson, 22-year-old Junior could be prove too much for the Scot to handle.

Ordinarily, most would assume that Jamieson, 33, would be better served by taking Junior into the second half of the fight but he too can punch and he may well decide to try and make his presence felt early.

Keep your eyes here for specific fight odds.

NATHANIEL COLLINS (16-0, 7 KOs) V LEE McGREGOR (15-1-1, 11 KOs)

The featherweight Scottish derby between Collins and McGregor looks like being the pick of this weekend’s fights.

McGregor raced to the British, Commonwealth and European bantamweight titles within ten fights but his career has stalled in recent years.

Once he finds his rhythm, McGregor is an all action, aggressive fighter with a real air of quality. He can finish fights quickly but is also more than capable of going the long route if he has to. He is priced at 47/20 to win by decision and 7/1 to score an eye-catching stoppage.

There were signs of him rediscovering his old energetic form during his December victory over Isaac Lowe and McGregor can expect to be even better this weekend.

Collins is versatile, super fit and tough. The former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion is arguably the most underrated boxer in Britain but is returning from serious injury. Last May, he had to undergo life saving surgery to correct a twisted bowel. If you think Collins can score enough clean counter punches to score a late stoppage victory between rounds 10 and 12, that is available at 13/1.

Nonetheless, the unbeaten 28-year-old has got himself back to full fitness and is more than ready to plunge right back in at title level. Collins is available at 5/6 to win a decision.

This looks like being a hard fought, twelve round battle with the winner putting themselves in contention for a world title fight.

JOSH TAYLOR (19-2, 13 KOs) V EKOW ESSUMAN (21-1, 8 KOs)

Josh Taylor’s boxing ability is beyond question. The former undisputed junior welterweight champion likes to say that he has “completed boxing” but rather than sailing off into the sunset, the 34-year-old has decided to move up to welterweight and scale the mountain again.

At his best, the southpaw is an elite, all action fighter. Taylor is impossible to discourage, capable of tweaking tactics mid-fight and has the technical ability to box and move if the mood takes him. Taylor is priced at 11/5 to prove his superiority conclusively and win by KO.

The only questions surrounding 34-year-old Taylor concern just how much desire he still has at this stage of his career.

Taylor has boxed just three times since beating Jose Carlos Ramirez to become the undisputed champion back in 2021. He has undoubtedly lost a step in that time. Taylor struggled past Jack Catterall in 2022 but lost a rematch and was also beaten by Teofimo Lopez.

He will be hoping that moving up to welterweight gives him a new lease of life. A Taylor decision victory is priced at 23/25.

He is fighting a man who has waited his entire career for a moment like this. Essuman, 36, racked up win after win at British title level for years but was always seen as either too unfashionable or too dangerous to be given a major fight.

Essuman has to prove that he can be successful in world class. In November 2023, Harry Scarff outhustled him but he rebounded and proved his own desire and grit by winning two thrilling fight of the year contenders in 2024. If you think Essuman can break Taylor’s heart and wear him down in the championship rounds, a price of 20/1 for a stoppage between rounds 10 and 12 may appeal.

Known as “The Engine”, Essuman is a workaholic. He will push for every second the fight lasts and has shown just how deep his gas tank is recently. Last July he got up off the floor to stop Owen Cooper in the final round of a war and in November he outlasted the big, strong Ben Vaughan over ten rounds.

As good as Essuman was in those fights, Taylor represents a massive step up in level. If Taylor is still as fit, determined and ruthless as he once was, he will be too good for the man from Nottingham but if that hunger has waned slightly, Essuman has enough quality to make him pay. An Essuman decision is priced at 23/4.

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