Taylor glad to progress after ‘complete war’

Olympic champion Katie Taylor admitted that she was involved in a “complete war” with Finland’s Mira Potkonen just after the start of the second round at the AIBA World Women’s Elite Championships in Jeju, South Korea this morning.

The Bray lightweight beat the Finn on a unanimous decision (40-36,40-36,39-37) to advance to Friday’s quarter-final clash with Russia’s Sofya Ochigava, a repeat of the 2012 World and Olympic finals which Taylor won in China and England.

“It was a tough four rounds. It was always going to be a hard fought battle, I knew she was going to rush me right from the start, said Taylor.

“The first thirty seconds of the second round was a complete war, I should have moved more obviously. But I love standing toe-to-toe as well. I love boxing against the top boxers in the world. These are the fight I train for and I’m ready for action.”

Commentating on the start of the second round – which saw Taylor and Potkonen involved in a massive exchange – Taylor’s coach and dad, Pete Taylor, said.

“It was a great fight. She veered away from her tactics at the start of the second, but we all know she loves to fight. We told her to enjoy this fight. It looks like it is going to be (Sofya) Ochigava by the looks of things which is good.”

Michaela Walsh bowed out at the last-16 stage this morning after losing on a majority decision to Azerbaijan’s to Azerbaijan’s Anna Alimardanova after four very close rounds.