Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman Predictions: Can ‘The Tartan Tornado’ weather Ekow’s warning?

Former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor returns this Saturday, May 24 against ex-British and Commonwealth welterweight king Ekow Essuman. The bout takes place at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow with DAZN broadcasting the show live.

Here are my Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman predictions ahead of this huge headline attraction.

Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman Odds

Taylor is 1/3 to secure his first win in over three years. Essuman is 9/4. He won’t mind that at all, having thrived throughout the build-up on his underdog status. A draw is 16/1, not bad for two men with a few close fights on their ledgers.

Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman Fight Preview

They say that once you reach the pinnacle, the only way is down. Taylor has felt the truth behind that saying all too keenly. ‘The Tartan Tornado’ made history back in 2021 and nothing has quite felt the same since.

Taylor’s name will forever appear in boxing’s record books. The Scot is the first-ever four-belt undisputed champion in super welterweight history. Taylor is also the British fighter to reign as a four-belt undisputed king. These are accolades that nobody can take away from him.

But that warrior who fought his way to holding the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO belts is a rare sight these days. Literally, because this will be his first fight in just a day shy of a year. Figuratively, because Taylor has not looked like the version of himself that lifted those four glistening titles in Las Vegas since.

Taylor beat a murderer’s row of world class opponents to win his undisputed championship. Ivan Baranchyk and Regis Prograis fell as part of the World Boxing Super Series at 140lb, netting the Scotsman the IBF, WBA and The Ring titles. Then, behind closed doors due to COVID-19, Taylor knocked down Jose Carlos Ramirez twice and outscored the WBC and WBO belt-holder to unify. The fact Taylor’s historic achievement played out without a large paying crowd would prove a harbinger of what was to follow.

The story of Taylor and Jack Catterall is well-told. In my years as a boxing scribe I struggle to think of a modern rivalry I’ve covered more deeply with the men involved, those surrounding them and the wider boxing populace. For those new to British boxing lore I will provide the cliff notes.

Taylor defended his titles against Catterall back in February 2022, at the same OVO Hydro that hosts his fight with Essuman on Saturday night. Most felt that on the night Catterall had done enough to unsettle and out-box the Scot. It was a close fight but the rounds seemed clear. Not so, though. 

Taylor was awarded a split decision and suddenly, as if he had written the cards in his own handwriting, the hero became a villain. It was decided that ‘The Tartan Tornado’ had not shown enough contrition for his crime of being scored the winner of a fight and all hell broke loose. Social media abuse came his way. The fact he responded in kind instead of bending the knee was held against him. Similar idiocy, like the MP of Catterall’s hometown of Chorley asking for a police investigation or the cottage industry of boxing websites re-scoring the fight for cheap rage clicks, is best left forgotten.

The wheels came off for Taylor. Injuries and postponements scuppered possible rematches and a reported move to welterweight which could have meant a clash with Terence Crawford. By the time Taylor got back in the ring, opposite Teofimo Lopez, he had only the WBO and The Ring belts left. That’s politics for you. The southpaw lost his only remaining prizes. Then he had to take his medicine.

Taylor rematch Catterall last May. It was a better fight than the first and with a fairer result. Ironically, you could argue our subject boxed better than he did in the first. The wide cards in Catterall’s favour felt conciliatory, though the Chorley lad was the right winner. 

Sick of being portrayed as the villain, Taylor returns to Glasgow to play the hero. This feels like the last step of the exorcism rites as he walks out at the very arena where his life changed forever. Taylor has given up his unbeaten record, title belts and blood as penance. When will the public flogging end?

Essuman will look to extend the punishment. The 21-1 ex-British champion is two years older at 36 and can be a horrible night for anyone. Too awkward to get the big fights, too talented to deny forever. One could argue Essuman should have been on this sort of stage sooner. Perhaps he would have been had Harry Scarff not pulled off an immaculate upset on points over him in 2023.

Essuman has two wins since and will present challenges Taylor is not used to. A full-blown welterweight, he has competed as high as middleweight. Taylor has long been linked with a move up to 147lb after his well-documented struggles making super lightweight. Essuman will provide a sturdy test of his reconfigured body.

This is a really interesting one. A wise southpaw against a guy who tends to grind out points wins using every trick in the book. It will either be obscenely ugly or ignite into a real tear-up as the men realise their gifts are well-matched.

I wonder which Taylor fancies more. A chance to unleash the frustration of a year on the shelf and four in the wilderness of public opinion? Or does he exercise caution knowing that a loss to Essuman could end his career?

Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman Full Card

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Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman Prediction

At this point in a career, the question of what the fighters have left comes up. Taylor might be 34, but he has just 21 pro fights on his record. Essuman is two years older and has one more fight. Neither should have a ton of miles on the clock.

I think it comes down mainly to motivation. Taylor has taken over the world and then seen how quickly people forget. Essuman was climbing the rankings until Scarff tripped him up. Both have reasons to throw in the towel, perhaps realising what comes next will never top what comes before. But that is not how boxers are built.

This is a must-win for both, which is overused but it’s true. Taylor is done if he loses here. Essuman will see his ceiling forever capped at domestic level without a scalp of this level on his record. 

If Taylor is close to his best, he will find a way here. I think it will be tactical at times, scrappy at others. Maybe a foul or two on both sides. But I think Taylor emerges from this war of attrition as the winner at 1/3.

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