Josh Taylor hails Manny Pacquiao as his hero but would still relish a dream fight against the Filipino star

Josh Taylor has hailed Manny Pacquiao as his "hero" but would still relish a "dream" fight against the Filipino star if he seeks world titles in a higher weight division.

Scotland's WBA and IBF world super-lightweight champion is awaiting news on a rescheduled fight against Apinun Khongsong, his IBF mandatory challenger, which was set to be staged in Glasgow in May before the sport's schedule was disrupted by the coronavirus.

An undisputed world title fight against Jose Ramirez remains a target for 'The Tartan Tornado', while he could also be tempted to move up to welterweight in pursuit of major names like Pacquiao.

"I would love to fight him," Taylor told Sky Sports. "He is my hero, so it would be good to share a ring with him, that would be awesome.

"It would be good to fight him. That would be a dream come true, to share a ring with Manny Pacquiao."

Taylor remains hopeful his fight with Thailand's Apinun Khongsong could still be held in Scotland, although he might be forced to travel to America for a showdown with Ramirez, who holds the WBC and WBO belts.

"I've got to do my mandatory defence," said Taylor, when asked whether he could even face Ramirez instead of Khongsong.

"I think the IBF are pretty strict with their mandatories and stuff and I'm sure Ramirez has to do his mandatory as well. I think we both have to get them out of the way first and then go for the fight.

"I wouldn't mind going to Vegas, but my ideal venue would be in New York, Madison Square Garden, or the Barclays Center in New York.

"More Brits over there, more Scots over there. A big Scottish population over there as well, so yeah, that would be a perfect location for me, would be New York, or somewhere on the east coast."