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Eddie Hearn explains why Katie Taylor is his favourite


He has a strong list to chose from but Eddie Hearn remains adamant that Katie Taylor is his favourite fight and points out that is something that this will never change.

The Bray boxer has had a massive impact on female fighting – first putting the amateurs on the map and then playing a leading role in a pro surge – and has had an equal effect on her promoter.

Between Taylor’s personality and her fighting approach, Hearn is her #1 fan.

The Matchroom boss has obvious soft spots for some of his stable.

Darren Barker got some extra love because he was there from the start of the journey, Audley Harrison always gets praise because he launched the Matchroom rebirth, boxing’s Mr Nice Guy Anthony Crolla is another, Anthony Joshua has made the promoter a tens of millions and Hearn remains indebted to Carl Froch.

However, none have pulled at the heart strings of the successful promoter like Katie Taylor and after the Wicklow woman claimed a third world title by defeating Rose Volante in Philadelphia on Friday last, Hearn elaborated as to just why he favours the Irish star.

“She will always be my favourite,” Hearn said of Taylor [13(6)-0].

“We’ve got some amazing fighters on both sides of the pond but you can’t help but admire someone with that much dedication and passion for what they do. It’s absolutely everything to her. Everything!”

“She’s a remarkable individual. When you go into her dressing room before a fight, you can hear a pin drop and you almost don’t want to go in there. She’s just so driven.”

Taylor made a big impression in Philly with a ninth round stoppage of a solid and strong opponent.

Hearn felt that the 32-year-old, who he was initially not keen on working with, stole the show.

The Essex fight boss noted how “everybody leaves here tonight talking about Katie Taylor and that’s every time she fights.

“And by the way, Volante was tough. In the early rounds, I didn’t like Katie trading with her because I didn’t think she had to but that’s what she does.”

“She sat on Volante’s chest and started to work the body and Volante couldn’t deal with her inside,” he noted before going further in-depth on the actual in ring action.

“Her inside fighting is actually my favourite, that’s what I love watching. She shouldn’t do it that much because she can box on the outside and beat everybody but she loves to stand in the pocket and trade.”

“It’s like watching a seasoned Mexican male veteran.”

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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