British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titleholder, Lewis Edmondson, has declared his support for fellow domestic competitor, Ezra Taylor, ahead of Taylor`s upcoming bout.
The two fighters have been on a path towards a potential clash for months, fueling anticipation for a possible fight through exchanges on social media and face-to-face interactions.
Despite their apparent mutual dislike, Edmondson (11-0, 3 KOs) plans to actively support Taylor when he faces the undefeated Birmingham fighter, Troy Jones, this Saturday.
Fighting on the undercard of the Anthony Cacace vs Leigh Wood event at the Nottingham Arena, Taylor, known as ‘The Cannon’, aims to deliver an impressive performance for his local supporters.
Crucially, a win against Jones is expected to move Taylor closer to a highly anticipated confrontation with Edmondson, who is looking to fight again this summer.
While Edmondson, nicknamed ‘The Saint’, is open to facing other contenders, Taylor (11-0, 8 KOs) is clearly his top choice for his next opponent.
Edmondson described Taylor`s style critically, saying, “It looks like watching a white-collar fighter – he’s stiff, like a large robot.”
He added, “He’s overly muscular. But honestly, I’ll be backing Ezra Taylor on Saturday night.”
“I’m hoping Ezra wins this fight [against Jones] so I can ultimately dominate him completely,” Edmondson stated. “His approach is perfectly suited to mine.”
He concluded his comments on Taylor`s upcoming fight by saying, “We’re supporting Ezra ‘The Water Pistol’ Taylor this Saturday. If he gets through it, God willing, I’m quite certain he’ll be next on my list.”
Edmondson is coming off a decisive title defense victory over Oluwatosin Kejawa, a bout where he controlled almost every round in front of his enthusiastic home crowd on the South Coast.
Prior to that, the fighter from Southampton claimed the British and Commonwealth belts by winning a majority decision against Dan Azeez in Azeez`s territory.
Regarding his next appearance, it seems Edmondson and his promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry, are currently exploring various potential opponents and fight dates.
If a fight with Taylor does happen, a spot on the undercard of the Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois 2 event at Wembley Stadium on July 19th would be a highly attractive option for the 29-year-old champion.
However, it also appears that Warren is interested in having Edmondson fight again in Bournemouth, a town close to his hometown, sometime soon.
“There have been some discussions,” Edmondson stated. “It`s developed into a bit of a rivalry, and I think the fight will definitely happen if Taylor wins against Jones without getting injured.”
“I feel that [the Usyk-Dubois 2 event] would be an excellent platform for our fight,” he commented. “It’s a significant domestic matchup, deserving of a major card like that.”
“I also believe [Warren] is considering hosting an event in Bournemouth sometime in July or August, potentially headlined again by [European super-featherweight champion] Ryan Garner.”
He concluded, “So we have a couple of possibilities, and we’re currently waiting for confirmation.”
While many observers might view a potential bout between them as relatively even, perhaps 50/50 or slightly favouring one side (60/40), Edmondson is confident he holds the advantage over Taylor in almost every aspect.
Furthermore, the experienced fighter is particularly confident that his psychological edge will be key to securing victory if they eventually meet in the ring.
“I believe he has a tendency to quit,” Edmondson opined. “When the fight gets difficult, I suspect he’ll look for an escape route.”
“He’s someone who likes to dominate and impose himself – a bit of a bully in the ring,” Edmondson added. “So, when things don’t go according to his plan, it will be interesting to see how he reacts.”
