Josh Taylor confident of victory over Mate in first home pro fight

Josh Taylor is "100% confident" that he will mark his home professional debut with a win against Adam Mate.

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist takes on Hungary's Mate on Friday night at Edinburgh's Meadowbank Arena, his first professional bout on home soil.

Taylor won his professional debut against Archie Weah on the undercard of Carl Frampton's world title fight with Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in July.

"I'm going to win, without a doubt - 100% confident," Taylor said.

Looking to build on that second round stoppage of Weah in Texas in the summer, Taylor feels this is another fight he can win inside the distance.

"If the knockout comes, the knockout comes but I'm not going to go looking for it.

"I don't think it's going to go the six rounds."

The Prestonpans fighter has moved from the amateur to professional ranks under the tutelage of the former featherweight world champion Barry McGuigan, who says a first professional win in front of a home crowd is an important step in Taylor's career.

"It's very important because it's his first professional fight at home," McGuigan said.

"He's now fighting a much better fighter than we should be taking at this stage.

"Adam Mate has had 15 wins and 10 knockouts, he's had five losses and he's a very good opponent. But we have a level of confidence in Josh that we wouldn't normally have in a young professional who is just having his second fight.

"I really believe Josh Taylor can go on to do amazing things as a pro. I believe he will win spectacularly on Friday night."