The 34-year-old, from Prestonpans, is the only British boxer in the four-belt era to have become undisputed world champion, achieving the incredible feat with victory over Jose Ramirez in 2021 to unify the light-welterweight division.

But now Taylor, who last fought in a defeat to Ekow Essuman in May, his first fight at welterweight, has been forced to call time on his career due to an eye injury.

Announcing his retirement, Taylor, who now lives in Haddington, described it as the “end of an era” in which he had “lived my dream for the last 10 years and conquered Mount Everest”, saying: “Thank you to every single one of you for the support through what has been this mad rollercoaster of a journey. Boxing is all I’ve ever known but now let’s see what life has to offer on the other side of the ropes.”

And in a statement, he added: “Right folks, this isn’t an easy post for me to write, but on the advice of my doctors, it’s sadly a necessary one.

“As has been publicised before, I’ve had a recurring issue with my eye that unfortunately means I now have to call time on my career or risk losing my eyesight.

“While the fighter in me always wants to box on, I know I have to listen to the medical professionals and save me from myself.

“It is certainly not the way I wanted to bow out but I have to listen to the doctors and those around me.

“I am just a kid from the Pans who scaled the very top of the sport but I could not have done it without those who have supported me through thick and thin.

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“First and foremost, I cannot thank you, the fans, enough. You always gave me your all, spending your hard-earned money to come and watch me fight, especially the thousands that travelled to watch me box at Madison Square Garden.

“Your support has always meant the world to me and I have never taken it for granted.

“To Top Rank (Bob, Carl, Brad, Jeremy and Mel T), you helped turn my dreams into a reality in becoming undisputed world champion and boxing me in Vegas and MSG.

“More recently, I want to thank Frank and George Warren at Queensberry for giving me the opportunity to headline at the Hydro once more in front of the fans that I love.

“I know that British boxing, and Scottish boxing in particular, is in an exciting place with the focus that you have on bringing through the next generation of world champions.

“A massive thank you to all of my sponsors over the years and, in particular, Ross at Seconds Out Fight Store, who’s supported me from the very start when I competed at the Commonwealth Games.

“To my lawyer, Tom Grant, aka Jerry Maguire, aka Big Tam, thank you for navigating this mad sport with me and always having my back. I only wish we’d met 10 years earlier.

“To my coaches over the years – Terry McCormack, Shane McGuigan, Ben Davison and most recently Joe McNally – thank you for all the time, energy and guidance you’ve invested in me, taking me to the very heights of the sport.

“And finally, my family and my beautiful wife Danielle, who’s been by my side every step of the way. Words will never do justice to what your unwavering love and support means to me.

“It’s now time for me to reflect on a one-in-70-million career and look forward to what’s coming next.

“Thank you once again and God bless.

“Josh Taylor, undisputed champion of the world.”

Taylor enjoyed a glittering amateur career, winning silver in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 while still a teenager, then representing Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London, before memorably winning Commonwealth gold in front of the home fans at the Hydro in Glasgow in 2014.

The Tartan Tornado then turned professional, knocking out Archie Weah on his pro debut in July 2015.

His seventh pro fight brought Taylor’s first pro belt, the Commonwealth light-welterweight title, following victory over Dave Ryan, before adding the WBC Silver title in 2017 with a dominant victory over Ohara Davies.

After defeating former world champions Miguel Vazquez and Viktor Postol, a shot at a world title seemed imminent and Taylor entered the light-welterweight World Boxing Super Series (WBSS).

He dominated Ryan Martin in the quarter-finals to set up his first world title fight, against Ivan Baranchyk of Belarus at the Hydro in May 2019: the home favourite won by unanimous decision to claim his opponent’s IBF belt and become a world champion for the first time, after just 15 professional fights.

That October in the O2 Arena in London, Taylor was involved in a high-quality encounter with American fighter Regis Prograis which the East Lothian man deservedly won, securing him the WBA world title as well as victory in the WBSS.

Then in May 2021 came Taylor’s finest hour, a brilliant victory over Ramirez in Las Vegas during which he dropped the American twice, as he added the WBC and WBO belts, making him the undisputed light-welterweight champion of the world.

In doing so, Taylor became the first Scottish or British boxer in the four-belt era to unify a weight division, and only the fifth man from any country to achieve the feat.

The following February saw Taylor’s first defence of his titles, against Jack Catterall at the Hydro. In one of the most controversial decisions in recent boxing history, Taylor was announced the winner by split decision, despite many pundits believing the Chorley man should have won the fight.

Little did anyone know at the time that that would be Taylor’s last ever win.

Dogged by injuries, he was forced to vacate three of his four world title belts before finally getting back in the ring against former world champion Teofimo Lopez in June 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York, where he suffered his first defeat as a professional, in so doing relinquishing the last of his belts.

A much-anticipated rematch with Catterall eventually materialised in May last year, where this time the English fighter was declared the winner by unanimous decision.

It would be another year before Taylor entered the ring again, making the step-up to welterweight to fight Essuman in May, but he suffered his third-successive defeat in what would prove his final fight.

One of East Lothian’s greatest ever sportsmen, Taylor was awarded the Freedom of East Lothian at a civic reception last August.