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The Plan – Katie Taylor Outlines “Monumental” Four-Fight 2019


If WBA and IBF lightweight champion Katie Taylor [12(5)-0] has her way, 2019 will be the biggest year of her life.

The Bray fighter can make Irish boxing history tomorrow night [Friday 15th] by becoming our first ever three-belt world champion.

However, the Matchroom boxer is hopeful a win over WBO lightweight champion Rose Volante [14(8)-0] in Philadelphia will only represent chapter one of a ‘monumental’ year.

Emerge victorious live on Sky Sports and DAZN and the London 2012 Olympic gold medal winning star hopes to become Ireland’s first undisputed champion in the era of multiple belts.
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Victory in a proposed June 1st fight with long-reigning WBC titlist Delfine Persoon would see Taylor hold all the lightweight belts and realise an undisputed dream.

However, that wouldn’t see the Wicklow woman happy with her 2019 innings.

A headline clash with controversial seven-weight World champion Amanda Serrano in the Autumn appeals to the 32-year-old, as does a meet-in-the-middle meeting with long-time undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Brækhus – with Taylor hoping to squeeze both in as she plots a “sensational 2019″.

“This could be a monumental year for me, the biggest of my career both amateur and pro,” said the game-changing Irishwoman.

“I believe that by the end of the year I can look back at being the undisputed lightweight champion and have had huge fights with Amanda and Cecilia. They want those fights as well, but I have to keep winning and everyone raises their game when they fight me.”

“When I sat down with Eddie Hearn a few years ago and talked about turning pro, the one thing we talked about was to fight three-to-four times a year and he’s never let me down, I’m fighting regularly and they are great fights too.”

“I have the chance to win my third World title belt inside two years as a pro, and I’d love to have four fights again this year, but Rose is the only fight in front of me.”

Some may deduce that Taylor desire for a massive 2019 indicates she wants to achieve and get out.

However, the Brian Peters-managed fighter has suggested previously that she would like to fight into her 40 s- and before her massive fight this weekend she discussed the possibility of moving up in weight.

The physically small lightweight noted how “I’m at 135lb now and I make the weight very comfortably. I could move up to 140lbs but 147? That could be a stretch but maybe I could make it; but anything past that I am not big enough for – so welterweight would be my maximum. I couldn’t go down from 135, I love food too much!”

“My speed is going to be key in these big fights and I think that technically I am better than a lot of the other girls as well.”

“I feel I have a great team around me, the best coach in the world in Ross Enamait, I feel so prepared going into every fight. But each one is harder than the last and I am aware of that, but I have a lot of confidence and belief in myself, I really feel that no-one can beat me.”

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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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