For a while, people have said Nottingham's Ezra Taylor had it all, but he didn't truly believe it until he teamed up with Malik Scott.

Taylor, with a record of 13-0 and 9 KOs, was doing great in his first 11 fights. So, some were surprised when he moved to Los Angeles to train with Scott earlier this year.

The new setup with Scott, a former heavyweight fighter turned coach, didn't start smoothly. Taylor spent 23 hours in a U.S. detention center after going to Mexico to watch Gerald Washington's fight. When he tried to come back to the U.S., they told the 31-year-old he was being sent back to the UK.

“Don’t worry, we’re settled here now,” Taylor says from his temporary place in West Hollywood. Yeah, I got deported last time. That was two weeks before the Troy Jones fight, crazy. Being stuck in detention for 23 hours isn't ideal when you're trying to get ready for a fight.”

But it didn't throw him off. He won his first fight with Scott by beating Jones, his only undefeated opponent, over 10 rounds. Then, five months later, Taylor and Scott got their second win together when Taylor stopped Steed Woodall in the ninth round at London’s O2 Arena.

Now, Taylor is back in LA to get ready for his next fight, which he calls the toughest one yet. On January 24, Taylor is set to go up against Willy Hutchinson, who's ranked No. 10 by The Ring, at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. For the first time, the odds are against Taylor.

But he thinks he has an advantage.

Usually, it's a 1v1 in the ring, Taylor says. But now it feels like a 2v1 because I have Malik in my corner. That’s how much confidence I have since we started working together. I'm very thankful to have Malik in my life. He really changes everything.

“He’s like a father and a guide. If I could be like someone, I would choose him. He’s got great morals and beliefs. I’m learning a lot from him both in and out of the ring. We both believe in God, so we connect on that, too. It's more than just a boxing thing. We have a strong relationship.”

Taylor skipped Christmas with his family in Nottingham to focus on training camp, which continued without a break over the holidays.

“I’m working hard here,” he says with a smile. No Christmas for me.

“This has been a long and helpful camp. I'm getting used to the climate and changes because you have to get used to them. America's totally different from the UK. The training is hard, but you have to get used to it. And you can see the results in my fights. I'm getting better all the time.

“I've got an apartment here where I relax. I just go back and forth to training. I train in North Hollywood, stay in West Hollywood, and train two or three times a day.

“We can put in the time, and we don't have a strict schedule. We don't have to stick to a one-hour session; we'll go for two if we need to. If I need to perfect a left or right, we'll keep working on it until I get it right. So, it's great. The way we work together is great.”

What about Hutchinson, who is younger but has more experience? He lost a close fight to Joshua Buatsi in September 2024 and is now determined to get a shot at a world title.

“We already have a plan,” Taylor says. We know what we need to do. It's nothing out of the ordinary for me.

“That’s what I keep telling people. You've probably seen the best of Willy Hutchinson, but you haven't seen the best of me yet. People should remember that.

“We know he switches stances and is hard to read. So, you have to spar with everyone—southpaws, orthodox fighters, and switch-hitters. The sparring here in LA is intense. It tests you.

“Being here is great because they have all kinds of styles to deal with. And I trust Malik completely. He's a genius at what he does.

“I'm excited. I don't have to do anything crazy in the ring. I'm just going to go in there and be the best Ezra Taylor.”

Of the 13 people Jake Paul has fought, it's strange that eight seem to have had bad luck after their fight.

Here’s the rundown: three faced near-death experiences, some disappeared from the public eye, one had his personal life crumble, one declared bankruptcy, and another was deported.

Nate Robinson

The former NBA champ played for the Miami Heat in 2013. He was Paul's second pro opponent in November 2020 but didn't last long, getting knocked out in the second round.

Ben Askren

People had high hopes for Askren before his April 2021 fight with Paul because he was a former UFC fighter. But he was stopped in the first round. It was Paul's third pro fight, which made it even worse.

If the loss wasn't bad enough, Askren had lung failure four years later, almost dying, needing a transplant to survive.

Tyron Woodley

The former UFC welterweight champion fought Paul twice and lost both times, the second time by knockout. It's said that Woodley declared bankruptcy after those losses, which might explain why he boxed again against Anderson Silva on the Paul vs. Joshua card, which he also lost. His pro boxing record is 0-3.

Tommy Fury

His relationship with Molly-Mae Hague took a break in 2024. They're back together, but Molly-Mae is hesitant to get married.

Ryan Bourland

Bourland was 17-2 when he fought Paul in March 2024, so some thought he'd be hard to beat. But like Askren, Bourland didn't make it out of the first round. He quit boxing after losing to Paul and now works as a plumber.

Mike Tyson

Paul's fight with Mike Tyson was already strange, given Tyson is 58. It got stranger when news broke that Tyson had been in the hospital for weeks before the fight because of a bleeding ulcer, needing eight blood transfusions.

Maybe it was his age that caused the issue. Maybe it explained Tyson's weak showing in his loss in November 2024.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

The former middleweight world champion and son of the famous Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. put on a weak performance in his loss to Paul in June 2025, hurting his father's reputation.

Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua gave Paul his second pro loss, but Paul made him work for it in a bigger ring than normal. He lasted six rounds before Joshua broke his jaw with a right hand.

If Jake Paul keeps fighting, his opponents should be ready and hope they don't also experience weird misfortune.