Josh Taylor knows pressure. His upcoming rematch against Jack Catterall had to be postponed due to increased levels behind his eye with the threat of blindness after a medical procedure.
The Tartan Tornado - a former undisputed champion - has taken huge flak in the evolving feud with Catterall after his controversial split decision win over the Englishman at the Hydro in 2022.
When it came to pushing the fight back four weeks to protect his health, Taylor had no doubts, despite a barrage of abuse frantically being typed into social media in a trend spanning years to this point.
"When it is something as precious as your eyesight, I don't care how much flak or slack I take from anyone, my eyesight is more important and my health is more important than anything in the world," said Taylor of the date being pushed back to May 25 for the Leeds bout.
"When I went back to get my consultation afterwards in the aftercare the surgeon said the pressure behind your eye has shot right back up to dangerous levels where if one of the veins burst it could lead to blindness.
"They suggested to take the foot off the gas and put the fight back for three or four weeks to allow the pressure to come back down to safe levels."
Taylor knew an onslaught of criticism was headed in his direction as a result of the postponement but the WOW HYDRATE athlete welcomed any and all abuse as he vowed to take out his frustrations on rival Catterall.
"I have taken a lot of slack but it's more just for me. I use this s*** I have been getting as motivation, it adds fuel to my fire," said a confident Taylor.
"I just can't wait to get in there and get it done and take the frustration out on Jack and make it a painful night for him.
"At the same time, I am quite relaxed and I am very laid back about it because I have been preparing really well.
"I am emotionally detached from it but I would love to make it a painful night for him."
Promoter Eddie Hearn heaped pressure on both Taylor and Catterall ahead of the showdown on Saturday night as he warned: "careers are on the line in this fight".
The Prestonpans puncher is well aware of the consequences of defeat in the boxing world but insisted his legacy is already firmly in place as he questioned whether the same could be said for his opponent.
"I don't really think so, I think it is more for Jack than myself," said Taylor when asked whether Hearn's comments on a defining fight night held any weight.
"I think I have already been defined, my legacy is already cemented. I've already become undisputed world champion, I am the first person in the UK to do it in the four-belt era.
"Whether this fight goes my way or not, my legacy is already cemented.
"But for Jack...he couldn't pounce on me the first time when I was at my weakest and my worst.
"It's no secret that was the worst I've ever been - I'll never turn up like that again.
"Jack blew his chance to become a world champion and now I don't believe he ever becomes a world champion. For me, it's just another fight."
Taylor and Catterall's feud has been as vicious out of the ring as in it. There has been endless talk from both camps before and after the first fight and spilling into the aftermath and now build-up to the much-anticipated rematch.
But Taylor is confident his hard-knocks upbringing will stand him in good stead.
"It could be quite easy to let myself get quite riled up and let myself be annoyed by what people are saying but unluckily for them and unlucky for Jack, I've got really thick skin.
"I grew up in a place where if you can't take a slagging or a good skelping as we say up the road then you were never lasting two minutes.
"I have been brought up on taking the p*** out of each other and getting the p*** taken out of me so I've got very thick skin.
"It doesn't really bother me at all, I just use it as fuel to go, 'I'm just going to shut you up'."
Josh Taylor is a WOW HYDRATE athlete. His fight against Jack Catterall on May 25 is promoted by Matchroom and Top Rank Boxing is available to watch on ESPN+ in the U.S. and DAZN around the world.
