Back with a Bang – Taylor McGoldrick shares retirement U-turn reasoning
The love and hunger are back and thus so too is Taylor McGoldrick [3(1)-1(1)].
The Tyrone native announced his retirement from boxing after just four professional fights in November of last year, citing a loss of passion for the sport when explaining the reason to call it a day.
However, just over a year after hanging up his gloves, he has revealed he will take them down, lace them back up and fight again – and the 28-year-old points out a change in the factors that forced him to retire has inspired his comeback.
McGoldrick told Irish boxing he is back in love with boxing, has a real desire to make an impact and comes back confident he can compete domestically.
“I fell out of love with boxing and I just needed time away from the sport,” he begins.
“I found that love again and I feel ready to get back at it. I believe I have the potential to mix it with any of the top boys.
“I’m returning because I feel there is a lot of fight left in me and a lot of potential. I also know there are a lot of big fights down the line.I’m back training, I feel good and stronger than ever,” he adds before producing the kind of bold statement he became famous for pre-retirement.
“I’m coming back ready to make a statement. You will see big performances from me.”
Reflecting further on his decision to retire at a young age, Conrad Cummings cousin revealed a surprise knockout defeat to Estonian journeyman Gennadi Stserbin and subsquent fall through of a fight with Irish Boxing Awards Fighter of the Year Padraig McCrory hit him hard.
“I took my last lost bad,” he continues
“I had a lot of things going on in the background and in my personal life, stuff people don’t know about and stuff I don’t want to get into. I was caught with a freak shot in my last fight. All I had to do was box to beat the boy but I was looking ahead to a big fight. I had a fightlined up with Padraig McCrory and I was more concerned with that. I got caught with a bad shot and I took that defeat really bad.”
The southpaw points out he has put that period behind him and is ready to look forward to a potentially exciting future rather than dwell on one defeat.
“My mindset is the best it’s ever been. Mentally I’m in a good place, physically I’m in a great place. I’ve been lost without boxing it’s something I’ve known since 9 years of age and it feels good to be back again.
“Short time I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible. I want to blow off the ring rust, get a few nice wins, and then push on for a title of some sort. I’d like a Celitc title or an Irish title after a few fights. I feel like I have a good team with Daniel Anderson and my manager Ian Gaughran. I am confident we’ll work well together and big things are going to happen.”
IGB boxer, McGoldrick never talked to the press without planting future fight seeds or dropping names previously, and it’s no different second time around.
“I was always fond of a call out and I like to get a bit of banter going,” he adds before bringing old verbal sparring partner Kevin Cronin’s name up again.
“Maybe after a few fights me and Cronin can get it on. He was always calling me out and looking to fight. Now maybe it’s time for me to give him a bit of beating. He is probably the one I’ll look to call out. Maybe he can get what he’s been asking for, for the past few years.”
