- Josh Taylor and Ekow Essuman will fight for the vacant WBO International welterweight title.
- This championship showdown will happen inside the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Taylor is the -280 betting favorite, while Essuman is the +225 betting underdog.
The vacant WBO international welterweight title will be on the line on May 24, as former super lightweight champion Josh Taylor and British contender Ekow Essuman battle it out at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.
With his wealth of championship experience, Taylor is tagged as the betting favorite with -280 boxing odds. On the other hand, despite minor boxing titles, Essuman is going to be the +225 betting underdog.
Josh Taylor vs. Ekow Essuman Odds
- Josh Taylor: -280
- Ekow Essuman: +225
Josh Taylor vs. Ekow Essuman: Prediction
I predict that Taylor will get the unanimous decision win over Essuman en route to securing the vacant WBO international title. His immense championship experience and a more well-rounded skill set make him a perfect stylistic matchup for Essuman.
Taylor has a versatile approach when fighting inside the ring because he has a great mix of elite IQ, footwork, speed, and power. However, this was not on full display in his past two bouts, which is why he was on the losing side.
Meanwhile, Essuman is an aggressive fighter who isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with his opponents in hopes of scoring a highlight-reel knockout. But this approach isn’t going to be sustainable against Taylor.
Essuman’s aggressive nature is a double-edged sword. If he can find the chin of Taylor, then it could result in a knockout finish in his favor. But most likely, what will happen on fight night is that Taylor will move around the ring and frustrate Essuman with counterpunches and score points until the final bell.
Josh Taylor’s Recent Fight Results
Taylor was an amateur boxing standout who competed in various tournaments around the world before he decided to become a professional fighter in July 2015. Since his maiden bout, he won his next 18 fights and captured the IBF, WBC, and WBO world super lightweight titles.
However, in his last two matches, Taylor dropped all his matches to Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall. Now, he moves up in weight to potentially make another run toward a world title in the welterweight division and become a two-division world champion.
Ekow Essuman’s Recent Fight Results
Essuman made his pro debut in December 2016 with a win over Andrej Cepur. Then, he swept his next 18 fights to capture multiple minor boxing titles, such as the WBC International silver welterweight title, IBF European welterweight title, Commonwealth boxing council welterweight title, and the BBBofC British welterweight belt.
In November 2023, he suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Harry Scarff. But he immediately bounced back with wins over Owen Cooper and Ben Vaughan last year to redeem himself and reclaim his confidence inside the ring.
Josh Taylor vs. Ekow Essuman: Tale of the Tape
| Josh Taylor | Ekow Essuman | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 34 | 36 |
| Height | 5’10” | 5’10” |
| Record | 19-2 | 21-1 |
| Reach | 69.5 inches | 70 inches |
| Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 68% | 38% |
Josh Taylor vs. Ekow Essuman: Start Time
May 24, 2 p.m. E.T.
May 24, 1 p.m. C.T.
May 24, 12 noon M.T.
May 24, 11 a.m. P.T.
