AS excitement grows and expectation builds surrounding Ezra Taylor, the 30-year-old light-heavyweight found himself at ease on Saudi shores as a spectator for the Last Crescendo card before making his first outing of 2025 a short one at York Hall this past weekend.

He needed a round-and-a-half to dismiss former Southern Area junior-middleweight challenger Ryan Maycock (8-6, 1 KO) with bruising body shots on a busy night of boxing across the country, while other Queensberry-backed fighters - including English welterweight titleholder Sean Noakes - were victorious.

After three fights in 2023, the Nottingham resident (11-0, 8 KOs) pitched a trio more over the previous calendar year as his ambition remains clear, rising up the ranks and doing it the hard way.

He confirmed to talkSPORT that he'll fly to Los Angeles this coming week for a pre-camp with Deontay Wilder's head trainer Malik Scott where high-level sparring awaits, including rounds with unified cruiserweight world champion and Ring's No.1 ranked contender Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs).

The 175-pound division, especially across Great Britain, has been of the highest standard for a while. Taylor isn't where he wants to be, but believes overseas trips like the one last month will be scouting missions before long.

"I feel good, this will be a huge statement year for me, all my performances are going to be immaculate and I can say that because I've been putting in serious work," Taylor told The Ring.

"The light-heavyweight scene has been on fire for a while but I'm coming through at the right time. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing, and do it better."

Having spoken to Queensberry chief Frank Warren last month, the Hall of Fame promoter couldn't help but smile when Ezra's name was mentioned.

Although not yet formally announced, The Ring understands Taylor will box English champion Troy Jones (12-0, 6 KOs) in the co-feature slot on the Anthony Cacace vs. Leigh Wood undercard, May 10.

"Ezra's a good fighter, 10 fights now and looked bloody good last time out. I think the Whittaker vs. Cameron rematch winner should fight him next, or Lewis Edmondson, let's make the fights," Warren recently told The Ring.

Make that eleven. Taylor needed just 24 seconds to crumble Latvia's Kristaps Bulmeistars (12-3, 5 KOs) last November after flicking out his potent jab before landing a perfectly-placed overhand right the 31-year-old didn't see coming.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head, referee Lee Every's count felt futile and soon enough, social media was awash with criticism of another undersized Eastern European visitor coming to get iced.

After enduring four chaotic rounds culminating in a premature stoppage win over Ghanaian southpaw Prince Oko Nartey (12-4, 11 KOs), Taylor pitched a career-best win over Spain's Carlos Alberto Lamela four months later to win the WBC International title.

It's a belt once held by former WBO world champion Joe Smith Jr, upcoming European challenger Shakan Pitters and most recently The Ring's No. 9-ranked Willy Hutchinson, so while not a substitute for the real thing, holds some cache and will help organically build his standing within the sanctioning body.

Currently sitting at 31, there are a series of feasible matchups that can be made if he's able to pass domestic tests the remainder of this year as planned. When asked about his opinion on Whittaker-Cameron 2, set for April 20, he refused to count out the underdog's chances of finishing an upset job he looked set to complete back in Riyadh last October.

"Liam should've won last time around, Whittaker will probably play it safe as he's a better boxer and with a good gameplan, will outpoint him. That's not to say Cameron can't go in there and spoil it, he has the skills to do the job but Ben has better tools."

During fight week before a career-best win to date, Taylor declared Whittaker was "the face of British boxing" and doing his thing, paid respect to the 27-year-old's dad Anthony before hinting: "2025 could be great for me and bad for him..."

His eyes light up in conversation at the prospect of boxing British champion Edmondson (11-0, 3 KOs), who he has since had a fiery exchange with and insists is definitely a target by year's end, while Whittaker and the Southampton-based titleholder were reportedly close to agreeing terms for a bout last year before venturing in different directions.

As far as the roadmap is concerned, Taylor doesn't mind the scenic route and sees the long-term benefit in doing so after originally picking up the sport as a 15-year-old teenager with bundles of energy but no favoured sport to hone that athletic ability.

"I don't want a last-minute call - I'd take it because I'm always ready - but I'd rather just do the work, keep stepping up the levels and get to a position where I can't be denied, that's the aim, don't want to have to talk my way into fights, just perform and that to get me in the right place."

Last year was Taylor's biggest yet and at 30, cannot afford to skip steps nor hang around too long if he wants to achieve his ambitious goals in an unforgiving sport.

When asked about what the biggest thing he's learned is, it was telling: "Patience is key, in this boxing game, it's everything. You've got to stay humble and work hard, it's been a great year for me and I'm just trying to continue doing better. I've got all the tools, the lifestyle and team around me, discipline to make it happen."