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Undefeated Heavyweight Prospect Pryce Taylor vs. Tsotne
Rogava Set For Nov. 7 From Albequerque, NM
During Pryce Taylor’s relatively young pro boxing career, he
has fought often and in a wide variety of cities with
complete success, winning thirteen fights, 8 by knockouts.
The Brooklyn heavyweight (13-0, 8 KOs) has fought in New
York City, Atlantic City, San Juan, Detroit and Flint,
Michigan, in addition to Verona, New York, Chester,
Pennsylvania, and College Park, Georgia. The 29-year-old
Taylor has also been the most active American heavyweight
with his thirteen bouts in less than 3 years.
Taylor, however, is heading West for first time in his next
fight on November 7th in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when he
steps up in terms of a quality opponent in 2020 Ukraine
Olympian Tsotne “Mr. T” Rogava (13-1, 8 KOs), who has
transitioned to boxing from kickboxing.
“I love it,” Taylor claimed about fighting in Albuquerque
for the first time. “All I know about Albuquerque is that
it’s hot there and I’ll need to acclimate myself to the
altitude level. On paper, a good win will put me on another
level, and then people will say I’m pretty good. They won’t
believe it until they see it.”
The 6’ 4”, 275-pound Taylor will be fighting somebody his
own size in Rogava, who stands 6’ 3” and weighed 265 pounds
in his last fight. The 33-year-old Rogava, who is guided by
Hall of Fame trainer Joe Goossen, bounced back this past
July with an 8-round unanimous decision over Mauricio Leon
Perez (8-0-1), after suffering his first pro loss by way of
a 6-round decision a little more than 1 year ago to Ahmed
Krnjic (5-0) in the WBC Grand Prix quarterfinals.
“He’s a big dude but easier for me to fight,” Taylor said
about Rogava. “They (larger heavyweights) don’t know how to
fight inside and when I take away their jabs, they don’t
know what to do. He has lost; I haven’t!”
“Pryce Taylor is a 13-0 road warrior,” Taylor’s manager
Keith Sullivan commented. “He has always fought away and
always won and now it’s time to start raising the stakes.
His opponent is an Olympian who has competed at the highest
level of amateur boxing, but Pryce isn’t looking for easy
fights – he wants fights that move him forward. This is a
real test and a real opportunity. I believe Pryce is ready
to show that he’s not just an undefeated prospect, but a
heavyweight who needs to be taken seriously.”
Taylor vs. Rogava is a scheduled ten-round match. Taylor
went the ten-round distance in his last fight, taking a
unanimous decision over Issac Munoz Gutierrez (18-2-1) in
San Juan, while Rogava has 10-rounds once in his unanimous
decision over Alexander Fores (19-4-1) in 2024.
“I showed I can go 10 rounds in my last fight,” Taylor
added, “proving I’m capable of it, and getting close to the
top. I felt good after 10 but I always train to go 12.
“Everybody has a lot to learn. I’m sharper in every way
since my pro debut, because of everything I’ve experienced
during my boxing career and life.”
A former New York State Athletic Commission Deputy
Commissioner, Sullivan also manages undefeated 3-time,
2-division World Champion Miyo Yoshida (19-5, 1 KO),
Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (21-2, 21 KOs), Serbian
heavyweight Sanel Hasanovic (10-1-1, 8 KOs), undefeated
Staten Island light heavyweight prospect Artan Iseni (6-0, 5
KOs), Bronx NYPD officer Nisa Rodriguez (4-1, 2
KOs),lightweight Fei Faiva (6-0-1, 4 KOs) and junior
featherweight prospect Brooklyn “The Big Deal” Barwick (5-1,
5 KOs). Sullivan also co-manages IBF Welterweight World
title challenger Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (16-2, 12
KOs) and his cousin, middleweight Jim Donovan (2-0, 1 KO),
alongside coach and ex-world champion Andy Lee.
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