Hot on the pursuit of Billy Joe Saunders’ WBO World middleweight championship, Tommy Langford (15-0) first fights tonight at Liverpool’s Echo Arena against fellow top-10 ranked Lewis Taylor (18-1-1). Here’s our exclusive chat with Tommy ahead of tonight.
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Both you and Taylor are known for your high work rate, is this likely to be high-tempo fight?
“The only thing I’ve imagined in my head is going out there and beating him. He’s got one or two options basically, if he comes out fast, then I’ll beat him to the punch; if he comes out wild and going for me, then I’ll have to beat him up.”
All I’ll do is win the first round, then the second, then the third, and just keep on doing that until I break him down. He’s not fought anyone of my caliber, he’ll get demoralised and shell up or he’ll fire back and come back at me which will open him up.
Whatever I visualise him throwing at me, I make him miss, I can never imagine him hitting me and whatever I throw at him, I hit him with.”
This is your maiden 12-rounder, how you feeling about that?
“I’m always prepared for 12 rounds, I’m the fittest I’ve ever been, there’s plenty of good 12 rounds been done in sparring with good level fighters. There’s not many middleweights – unless they’re world level – who could go the distance with me because they’ll get a lot of punches to the face.
I do see it ending early but if I don’t stop him outright myself, then the corner will pull him out and save him. In my head, if I put my best boxing into play, he won’t last 12 rounds with me.”
Does Taylor represent a harder challenge to the recent opponents you’ve faced?
“No, Taylor is a good stand up boxer and fighting someone who is good technician with a tight guard, good jab, good shape in the ring – a lot of my opponents have been awkward southpaws – so I think it’s only going to benefit me really.
If it allows me to look better and make a statement as he’s recognised as being a good fighter, then beating him well will answer a lot of questions. He’s known as the English champion so beating him will make a statement and separate me from the rest of the pack.”
Without looking past this fight, what’s next for you?
“I’ve been back to back with training camps, pretty much been in the gym since last August, only having few days off between and this has been an extended camp with the switch in dates.
I’ll have a break and with being a dad soon, that’ll be a tough test all on its own! I’ll be back out in summer, hopefully around July.”
Will you be well supported on the night?
“He sells a decent amount of tickets and I’ve got a good couple of hundred coming up. Regardless of if he has more or not, my following will be louder! They’re in for a good show no matter what. I’ll be on around 7pm onwards I think, fifth fight on the card.”
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