Andres Taylor is accustomed to making an impact with his hands.
Usually the Johnstown boxer relies on his right uppercut to demolish the opposition. But on Wednesday Taylor used his “right” to sign a contract with TKO Boxing Promotions of Las Vegas.
“This is a big step in my career,” WBF cruiserweight champion Taylor said during an afternoon news conference at the Holiday Inn downtown. “This is like being drafted into the NFL. Without a major promoter it’s hard to get into a (world) title fight. Now I’ve got a shot to get at a title fight. These guys are going to move me. They’re going to make sure I get the right fights. The payday is better, too.”
In 14 months, Taylor and his “Team TaylorMade” have used a blue-collar, grass-roots approach to efficiently advance his boxing career from the amateur ranks to an impressive professional run that includes an 8-0-1 record, four knockouts and high rankings in the United States (17th of 288 cruiserweights) and the world (70th of 866 cruiserweights).
Taylor has had two well-received events at his hometown Cambria County War Memorial Arena. He knocked out Philadelphia’s Simon Carr in the seventh round on May 2 in his most recent fight.
The local shows were well-run and entertaining, with a variety of hoopla outside the ring.
“There is a ton of work that goes into it,” Taylor said. “The first two shows, I had to take a month off of work. We had so many people helping us and trying to make this happen. You see the finished product and you’re thinking this is nice, this is easy. But it comes down to the smallest details like ordering the tickets and getting wristbands and making sure the lights are right. I’m glad to have TKO behind us to make sure this thing is bigger and better.”
TKO President and CEO Chet Koerner initially had no idea who Taylor was when a friend recommended that Koerner include the then-relatively unknown Johnstown boxer on the card during a show in York. Taylor made a lasting first impression.
“I had just signed a bunch of fighters and I didn’t know anything about him,” said Koerner, who traveled across the country to attend Wednesday’s news conference. “The next thing I know there are four or five busloads of people from Johnstown. That’s a long drive to York. I saw this kid, Andres Taylor. He looked like a rock star. He played the part. He’s a great fighter. From that second, I wanted him.
“He’s a triple threat. He’s a ticket-seller. He can fight. He’s a rock star.”
TKO will promote Taylor in the Steel Valley Rumble on Saturday at Youngstown, Ohio. Also on that card will be Taylor’s 14-year-old son, Tyler, who is 2-0 as an amateur boxer.
Koerner said there are plans for Andres Taylor to fight again at the War Memorial, possibly around the Thanksgiving holiday, although the ECHL Johnstown Chiefs’ schedule released on Wednesday has three home dates at the arena on the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during that holiday week.
“The plan is to keep Andres very, very busy,” Koerner said. “We’re going to fight in Youngstown. We’re going to come back to York on Aug. 1, and then, hopefully, in the fall. We’re going to kind of use the Mike Tyson strategy and fight him every couple months and build his record up. Each time we fight him we’re going to move him along, increase the competition and step it up and eventually he’ll be ready for a world championship.”
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Johnstown boxer Andres Taylor poses with his son, Tyler, 14, and Chet Koerner, president of TKO Boxing Promotions, at the Holiday Inn downtown on Wednesday. John Rucosky
Discussion
Taylor-Made deal
Johnstown boxer signs with Las Vegas promoter
- Local Sports
-
-
2012 AAABA League schedule
A look at this season's schedule:
-
2011 AAABA in Review
A look back at the 2011 AAABA season:
-
AAABA League Preview
A look at this season's Johnstown AAABA League:
-
Pirates pick up fourth straight victory
There were times earlier in his career when James McDonald would run into trouble and innings would slow to a crawl. Even worse, runners would disappear, and not in a good way.
Too much thinking. Not enough attacking. -
Sympathetic Pirates add to Cubs’ slide
Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates can relate to what the Chicago Cubs are going through.
Perhaps more than anyone, they know what it feels like to be on an extended losing streak
– 12 in a row, in the Cubs’ case. -
AAABA League will open after busy offseason
The AAABA League opens on Tuesday at Point Stadium with two new, but familiar managers, a new but familiar sponsor, an expanded interleague schedule and two new franchises committed to the 2013 season.
A lot of activity took place during the offseason, including the AAABA national committee’s vote to expand the age limit to 21 years old beginning in 2013. -
Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Hit batsman lifts Pirates over Cubs
Matt Hague was hit by a pitch from Rafael Dolis with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the Chicago Cubs to their 11th straight loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
Hague took a 96 mph fastball from Dolis (2-4) in the back near the shoulder blade, scoring Jose Tabata and eliciting an incredulous look to the sky by the Cubs reliever. -
Generals return to defeat Sting
It’s been a dramatic month for the Johnstown Generals.
There were two postponed games that left the immediate and long-term future of the franchise in serious doubt just two weeks ago. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
2012 AAABA League schedule
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Raw Video: Earthquake Shakes Evacuees in Italy
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
