24 October 2019 12:45 BST
The gloves are really off. In a prickly final press conference in London this lunchtime the animosity between the two main eventers – Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor continues into the last two days. Although respect of what each fighter brings to the table was acknowledged, Josh Taylor in particular showed no let up from his verbal condemnation of his American opponent.
First up though was Prograis, covered by dark sunglasses, continuing to suggest that Taylor had fought no one like him and that he’d been shaken before against previous opponent Ivan Baranchyk, and asking what was he going be like against him. Emphasising his comfort in England after spending close to three weeks here he insisted “He can’t beat me…when I hit you and I hurt you that’s it”.
Taylor in response was unrelenting in his contempt for his opponent, saying he never thought he was going to shut up and asking why he was hiding behind his sunglasses. Exuding supreme confidence, sprinkled with a few expletives, he insisted he was going to “rip the belts off him” and “knock him out cold”.
If the pre-fight boasts and hostilities are lived up to, and given the undoubted pedigree of both fighters, this promises to be a contender for fight of the year. Catch it Saturday at the O2 Arena or live on Sky Sports box office or DAZN in the USA.
The Undisputed 