Katie Taylor wants the big names now.
As a pro, she is considered the first woman to main event a major venue in the UK, the main eventer of the first televised women’s triple header, and of course the first undisputed women’s lightweight champion of the four-belt era.
“I’ve always wanted to break boundaries and be a history maker, from the very very start. When I started boxing as a ten-year old, boxing for women wasn’t even allowed, it wasn’t even a legal sport in Ireland. To be involved in the very first women’s fight in Ireland was special, that was something I fought for from a very early age. I have tried to break boundaries and make history in my sport,” said Taylor. “I still absolutely love my sport. I’m still so passionate about it. I feel like I’m learning and improving all the time. I want to keep pushing back the boundaries, really. I still feel as passionate about my sport as ever.”
It was a sign of progress made that when Taylor walked to the ring in front of 20,000 fans in Leeds last Saturday to defend her titles against Jennifer Han, it felt normal.
But also, Taylor’s bout against Han, a mandatory challenger ordered by the IBF, was considered lopsided by oddsmakers.
“There’s still a lot more I want to do in the sport. I want to continue to win titles, I want to be involved in the biggest fights possible. I want to be involved in a big pay-per-view show maybe in the future,” said Taylor. “I just want to be involved in those big, big fights, those big names in women’s boxing. They’re the kind of fights that excite me and motivate me as well. That’s exactly what I’m training for, at the end of the day. I train for those big fights. I’m constantly in the gym, I’m thinking about those opponents, those fights. I just want to be involved in history-making fights.”
But the fight most fans want to see, above even those clashes, is one against Amanda Serrano. Serrano has had her own historic career, collecting world titles across seven weight classes.
“She has done great things in the sport as well over the last couple of fights, and I think her name is bigger than ever before. I think this fight is bigger now that it was when it was actually scheduled a year or two ago,” said Taylor. “The fight was scheduled a couple times before and they’re the ones that actually pulled out. I guess the ball is in her court if she actually wants the fight or not, I know she wants to unify the division right now, but hopefully that fight can happen really, really soon.”
The fight is indeed bigger now than it would have been when it nearly materialized in 2020, when it also likely would have happened in front of little to no audience due to the pandemic.
It was suggested to be made for headline on St. Patrick’s Day in New York City, at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s amazing how far women’s boxing has come, even since I turned pro. Even in the last five years, in such a short period of time, it’s been absolutely incredible, we’ve bridged the gap so much, in so many different areas,” said Taylor. “Even looking at some of the 10 and 11-year olds on the videos hitting the pads, the next generation are absolutely outstanding fighters. I’m so excited to watch their future.”
