Prestonpans boxer Josh Taylor will return to the ring, headlining the Land of the Brave event at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday, 24 May.
And after spending his entire career at 140lbs, Taylor will make his official welterweight debut against the relentless WBO European champion Ekow Essuman.
Botswana-born Essuman – the 35-year-old nicknamed The Engine – has won 21 and lost one in his professional career and is the former British and Commonwealth welterweight champion.
Hibs fan Taylor (19-2, 13 KOs), now 34, has signed with promoter Frank Warren’s stable for his first fight since losing a rematch to Jack Catterall in May 2024.
He is the former undisputed world champion at super lightweight, but decided to move up a weight after being edged out on points in the rematch of his controversial encounter with Jack Catterall in early 2022.
And on the undercard former European bantamweight champion Lee McGregor (15-1-1, 11 KOs) will face undefeated former British champion Nathaniel Collins (15-0, 7 KOs)n an all-Scottish showdown for the prestigious WBC Silver championship.
Edinburgh born McGregor last fought on 21 December 2024 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the undercard for the heavyweight world title rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury where he defeated Isaac Lowe via unanimous decision.
And the Hearts fan is hoping to make it a double celebration that day because the Scottish Cup final will take place at Hampden Park. And if Neil Critchley’s men can overcome Aberdeen in the semi-final there will be 20,000 plus fellow Jambos in town.
Tickets for Land of the Brave are available from ticketmaster.co.uk
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
