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Bernard Dunne stresses importance of Katie Taylor coach choice

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Katie Taylor has made a massive decision to leave the amateur game and go pro, and that decision has confronted her with some more crucial choices – the composition of her new team.

So far the Wicklow woman seems to have made solid selections. Management will come via Brian Peters of Bernard Dunne and RTÉ fame. Promotion will come from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, the biggest such outfit in Britain. While not one-hundred percent confirmed, it looks as though US trainer Ross Enamait ahead of her pro debut at the Wembley Arena on November 26th and her second scrap at the Manchester Arena on December 10th.

This final decision is one which Bernard Dunne, who spent the early part of his career at Freddie Roach’s Wildcard Gym, feels is essential to Taylor’s future success in the sport. He described on RTÉ that “it’s very important that she makes the right decision on who coaches her going forward because that’s the person she’s going to spend the most time with and that’s the person who is going to help her develop and mature into, hopefully, a World champion.”

“Is that person in this country? I’m not so sure. I don’t see anybody in this country who jumps out at me who could fill that role.”

“She’s been training with different coaches and I’m sure she’s been trying to figure out which one of these guys is suited to her style and who she got on best with. She’s got to find someone she gets on with.”

While Taylor this year suffered an unprecedented three losses, Dunne does not feel that she is a fighter in decline, citing the lack of miles on her clock. The Dubliner explained that “we all know that over the last 12 months, it’s not been a great year for her but Katie is still a very fresh fighter, it has not been a taxing career for Katie.”

“The last 12 months have been tough but they’ve been more tough mentally than physically. Even at 30 years of age, I think there is a lot more in her. I think her best days are not past her just yet.”

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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