Josh Taylor has opened the door to a showdown with Conor Benn, after hinting that his future belongs at welterweight.
Taylor suggested that his days at 140lbs were numbered after losing his WBO super lightweight title in a decisive points loss to Teofimo Lopez in New York last Saturday.
Benn, a career welterweight, has been looking to rearrange a clash with Chris Eubank Jr, likely at 160lbs after the WBC cleared him of intentional doping following two positive tests for the banned substance Clomiphene, which shelved a meeting with Eubank Jr in October.
‘The Tartan Tornado’ insists a bout with Benn is possible and admits he wants to punish the 26-year-old in the ring if they ever collide.
“That would be a great fight,” Taylor told IFLTV.
“Especially if he can make welterweight now, he looks a bit big now.
“I seen something the other day he was [weighing] 154 or something on one of his posts.
“I’d love to give him a good spanking after everything that’s been happening and came to light and stuff.
“We’ll wait and see what happens.
“I’ll fight absolutely anybody.”
The 32-year-old former undisputed world champion signed a multi-year promotional deal with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. in 2020 although it is unclear how many fights remain on his contract, whilst Benn has been promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing since his professional debut in 2016.
The Scot says a final decision has not been made on whether he will move up in weight and admits he’d relish a rematch with Lopez.
“I’ll probably move up to be honest, more than likely,” he said.
“I’ve not made my mind up yet.
“It’s still pretty fresh and it still pretty f***ing p***** me off, because I just know I’m 100x better than that.
“In the first four rounds it was bloody working and I just got too excited, but the energy levels just weren’t there to keep the game plan up.
“It is what it is. I’m not making any excuses. What happened happened. He was better than me on the night and he got the win so congratulations.
“Obviously I’d love to do it again and fight him again and I’d beat him with relative ease I think.”
