1. Early Life and Background
Arnold Taylor was born on 15 July 1945, to Muriel and Joe Taylor. As a white South African, his boxing career unfolded against the backdrop of the apartheid system, which enforced racial segregation and discrimination in the country. Before achieving fame as a boxer, Taylor was a qualified confectioner. He maintained a rigorous schedule, working at a local bakery in Johannesburg during the day and dedicating his evenings to training for his professional boxing career.
2. Professional Boxing Career
Arnold Taylor's professional boxing career spanned from 1967 to 1976, during which he captured multiple domestic titles before ascending to become a world champion. His journey involved a series of hard-fought victories and challenging rematches, showcasing his resilience and determination.
2.1. Debut and Domestic Titles
Taylor made his professional boxing debut on 20 May 1967, in Transvaal, facing Ray Buttle. Their six-round bout concluded in a draw. His next two fights were also against Buttle; on 30 June of the same year in Johannesburg, Taylor secured the Transvaal Bantamweight title by knocking out Buttle in the ninth round. On 11 December, also in Johannesburg, he outpointed Buttle over eight rounds in a non-title match.
On 19 February 1968, in only his fourth professional fight, Taylor claimed the South African Bantamweight title by defeating Andries Steyn via a twelve-round decision. After two non-title victories, he suffered his first professional defeat and lost his title on 1 July 1968, when he was knocked out in the first round by Dennis Adams. Following this setback, Taylor embarked on an impressive run of eight consecutive wins. These included three victories against Herby Clark (one by knockout, one by disqualification in six rounds, and one by decision), a win against Edward Mbongwa on 7 September 1968, in Swaziland (marking his first fight abroad), and another victory over Anthony Morodi in Lesotho.
His third win over Clark, a twelve-round decision on 12 May 1969, saw him win the South African Lightweight title, a division approximately 15 lb (15 lb) above his natural fighting weight. Shortly after, on 24 May 1969, Taylor had a rematch with Dennis Adams for the South African Featherweight title. He avenged his earlier defeat, knocking Adams out in the eighth round and securing his third regional title within twelve days of winning the Lightweight title. He subsequently vacated the Featherweight title to focus on defending his Lightweight belt. However, he lost the Lightweight title in his first defense, a rematch against Andries Steyn on 4 July 1969, by an eighth-round knockout.
After two wins and one defeat, Taylor faced Mike Buttle, Ray Buttle's brother, in a rematch for the South African Bantamweight title on 6 December 1969. Taylor had previously defeated Mike Buttle three weeks prior with a fifth-round knockout. In the rematch, Taylor regained the title with a sixth-round knockout.
Taylor began the 1970s by facing tougher opposition. On 11 April 1970, in Johannesburg, he fought Johnny Famechon, a fellow world bantamweight champion from Australia. In his first encounter with a former or future world champion, Taylor lost a ten-round decision. In his subsequent fight on 15 August 1970, he once again faced Ray Buttle, winning by a ninth-round knockout to regain the South African Featherweight title. This victory marked the beginning of an impressive nineteen-fight winning streak, which included five bouts in Australia, where he resided for the first half of 1971, and one in Zimbabwe. After achieving sixteen consecutive wins, he earned his first opportunity at a world title.
2.2. World Championship Reign
On 3 November 1973, Arnold Taylor challenged Mexico's Romeo Anaya, the reigning Lineal and WBA World Bantamweight champion, in a bout refereed by Stanley Christodoulou at Rand Stadium in Johannesburg. This fight is widely regarded as one of boxing's classic contests, with one South African sportswriter describing it as "the bloodiest fight in South African boxing history." Taylor endured significant punishment, suffering a cut and being knocked down once in the fifth round and three times in the eighth round. The WBA has since adopted a rule where a fighter is automatically declared a knockout loser if they are knocked down three times in the same round. Despite these setbacks, he also managed to cut the champion. In the fourteenth round, Taylor delivered a powerful right hand to Anaya's jaw, sending him to the canvas. Convinced he had secured his chance at the world title, Taylor reportedly screamed "He's gone!" from a neutral corner. Anaya struggled to get back to his feet, taking two minutes to recover, and Taylor was declared the winner, capturing the World Bantamweight crown.
Following his title win, Taylor had two non-title victories, including one against Paul Ferreri, who would later challenge Carlos Zárate. Taylor's sole defense of his world title took place on 3 July 1974, against Soo-Hwan Hong in Durban. This fight is also considered another classic boxing encounter. Taylor was knocked down four times throughout the bout: three times early in the fight, and a fourth time in the fourteenth round. Despite being dropped multiple times, Taylor mounted a strong rally from rounds ten to fifteen, relentlessly cornering and pinning Hong against the ropes. However, he ultimately lost the title by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.
2.3. Later Career and Retirement
After losing his world title, Arnold Taylor's career was largely undistinguished. He secured four consecutive victories but then suffered two back-to-back defeats, prompting his decision to retire. Among his last six fights, two stand out: a rematch with Romeo Anaya, whom he defeated once again by knockout in eight rounds on 27 June 1975, in Johannesburg. His final professional bout was on 24 November 1976, when he was knocked out in eight rounds by Vernon Sollas. His last two fights were contested in Norway and England, respectively. Taylor's professional record concluded with 40 wins (17 by knockout), 8 losses, and 1 draw.
3. Death
Arnold Taylor died on 22 November 1981. The cause of his death was a motorcycle accident. He was driving a motorcycle belonging to his eldest daughter, Charmaine, when he was involved in an incident where he was knocked over, dying at the scene of the accident.
4. Professional Boxing Record
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Loss | 40-8-1 (1) | Vernon Sollas | RTD | 8 (10) | 24 Nov 1976 | Anglo-American Sporting Club, Mayfair, London, England | |
| 49 | Loss | 40-7-1 (1) | Svein Erik Paulsen | PTS | 10 | 21 Oct 1976 | Messehallen, Oslo, Norway | |
| 48 | Win | 40-6-1 (1) | Dave Needham | PTS | 10 | 8 May 1976 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 47 | Win | 39-6-1 (1) | Romeo Anaya | KO | 8 (10) | 27 Jun 1975 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 46 | Win | 38-6-1 (1) | Lothar Abend | RTD | 3 (10) | 5 May 1975 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 45 | Win | 37-6-1 (1) | John Mitchell | TKO | 4 (10) | 22 Feb 1975 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 44 | Loss | 36-6-1 (1) | Hong Soo-hwan | UD | 15 | 3 Jul 1974 | West Ridge Tennis Stadium, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Lost WBA and The Ring bantamweight titles |
| 43 | Loss | 36-5-1 (1) | Lorenzo Trujillo | PTS | 10 | 31 May 1974 | Showgrounds Hall, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa | |
| 42 | Win | 36-4-1 (1) | Paul Ferreri | PTS | 10 | 18 Mar 1974 | Goodwood Showgrounds, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa | |
| 41 | Win | 35-4-1 (1) | Guy Caudron | PTS | 10 | 16 Feb 1974 | Rand Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 40 | Win | 34-4-1 (1) | Romeo Anaya | KO | 14 (15) | 3 Nov 1973 | Rand Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Won WBA and The Ring bantamweight titles |
| 39 | Win | 33-4-1 (1) | Billy Waith | PTS | 10 | 16 Jun 1973 | Portuguese Hall, Turffontein, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 38 | Win | 32-4-1 (1) | Jimmy Bell | PTS | 10 | 28 Apr 1973 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 37 | Win | 31-4-1 (1) | Evan Armstrong | KO | 4 (10) | 28 Oct 1972 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 36 | Win | 30-4-1 (1) | Hansie van Rooyen | KO | 6 (10) | 13 May 1972 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 35 | Win | 29-4-1 (1) | Hansie van Rooyen | PTS | 12 | 27 Mar 1972 | Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Retained South African featherweight title |
| 34 | Win | 28-4-1 (1) | Ugo Poli | KO | 4 (10) | 29 Jan 1972 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 33 | Win | 27-4-1 (1) | Chris Nel | RTD | 7 (10) | 27 Nov 1971 | Glamis Stadium, Harare (Salisbury), Rhodesia | |
| 32 | Win | 26-4-1 (1) | Luis Aisa | PTS | 10 | 30 Oct 1971 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 31 | Win | 25-4-1 (1) | Alberto Jangalay | PTS | 10 | 30 Aug 1971 | Festival Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 30 | Win | 24-4-1 (1) | Memo Espinosa | PTS | 10 | 3 Aug 1971 | Festival Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 29 | Win | 23-4-1 (1) | Turori George | PTS | 10 | 14 Jun 1971 | Festival Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 28 | Win | 22-4-1 (1) | Willie Cordova | PTS | 10 | 17 May 1971 | Festival Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 27 | Win | 21-4-1 (1) | Willie Cordova | PTS | 10 | 3 May 1971 | Festival Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 26 | Win | 20-4-1 (1) | Chris Nel | TKO | 10 (10) | 29 Dec 1970 | Amphitheatre, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 25 | Win | 19-4-1 (1) | Chris Nel | RTD | 7 (8) | 21 Sep 1970 | City Hall, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 24 | Win | 18-4-1 (1) | Ray Buttle | TKO | 8 (12) | 15 Aug 1970 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Retained South African featherweight title |
| 23 | Loss | 17-4-1 (1) | Johnny Famechon | PTS | 10 | 11 Apr 1970 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 22 | Win | 17-3-1 (1) | Mike Buttle | TKO | 6 (12) | 6 Dec 1969 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Won South African bantamweight title |
| 21 | Win | 16-3-1 (1) | Mike Buttle | TKO | 5 (8) | 15 Nov 1969 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 20 | Loss | 15-3-1 (1) | John O'Brien | PTS | 10 | 30 Aug 1969 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 19 | Loss | 15-2-1 (1) | Andries Steyn | RTD | 8 (12) | 4 Jul 1969 | Allan Ford Stadium, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | For South African lightweight title |
| 18 | Win | 15-1-1 (1) | Dennis Adams | RTD | 8 (12) | 24 May 1969 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Retained South African featherweight title |
| 17 | Win | 14-1-1 (1) | Herby Clarke | PTS | 12 | 12 May 1969 | City Hall, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Won vacant South African lightweight title |
| 16 | Win | 13-1-1 (1) | Herby Clarke | DQ | 6 (10) | 11 Apr 1969 | City Hall, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Clarke disqualified for biting |
| 15 | Win | 12-1-1 (1) | Henri Nesi | PTS | 10 | 15 Feb 1969 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 14 | Win | 11-1-1 (1) | Colin Lake | DQ | 3 (10) | 2 Nov 1968 | Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 13 | Win | 10-1-1 (1) | Robert Trott | TKO | 3 (6) | 7 Oct 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 12 | Win | 9-1-1 (1) | Anthony Morodi | PTS | 6 | 5 Oct 1968 | Lesotho National Stadium, Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 11 | Win | 8-1-1 (1) | Edwin Mbongwe | PTS | 6 | 7 Sep 1968 | Swaziland National Stadium, Mbabane, Swaziland | |
| 10 | Win | 7-1-1 (1) | Robert Trott | PTS | 8 | 26 Aug 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 9 | Win | 6-1-1 (1) | Herby Clarke | TKO | 9 (10) | 12 Aug 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 8 | Loss | 5-1-1 (1) | Dennis Adams | KO | 1 (12) | 18 Jun 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | For South African bantamweight title |
| 7 | Win | 5-0-1 (1) | Gerry Joey McBride | PTS | 10 | 3 Jun 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 6 | Win | 4-0-1 (1) | Bobby Davies | PTS | 10 | 29 Apr 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 5 | Win | 3-0-1 (1) | Andries Steyn | PTS | 12 | 19 Feb 1968 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Won South African featherweight title |
| 4 | Win | 2-0-1 (1) | Ray Buttle | PTS | 8 | 11 Dec 1967 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 3 | No decision | 1-0-1 (1) | Robert Trott | ND | 4 | 25 Nov 1967 | Ellis Park Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 2 | Win | 1-0-1 | Ray Buttle | TKO | 9 (10) | 30 Jun 1967 | City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | Won vacant South African Transvaal 'white' bantamweight title |
| 1 | Draw | 0-0-1 | Ray Buttle | PTS | 6 | 20 May 1967 | Piet Potgieter High School Grounds, Mokopane, North-West, South Africa |
5. Legacy and Assessment
Arnold Taylor's legacy in boxing is largely defined by his tenacious fighting style and his historic achievement as a world champion during a challenging period in South African history. As a white South African, his world title victory resonated differently within the racially segregated society of apartheid. His bouts, particularly the WBA bantamweight title fight against Romeo Anaya, are remembered for their extraordinary intensity and violence. This fight, dubbed "the bloodiest fight in South African boxing history," highlighted Taylor's incredible durability and will to win, as he overcame multiple knockdowns to secure the championship.
His subsequent title defense against Soo-Hwan Hong, though a loss, further cemented his reputation for engaging in thrilling, back-and-forth contests. Despite suffering four knockdowns in that fight, Taylor's ability to rally and push his opponent demonstrated his remarkable courage and resilience, leaving a lasting impression on boxing fans. His career, though relatively short-lived after his championship reign, left an indelible mark on South African sports, symbolizing a period of both national achievement and internal social complexities.