Eddie Hearn: A Katie Taylor win would be greatest in Irish sporting history
If Katie Taylor defeats Chantelle Cameron in the 3Arena this Saturday night it will be the greatest moment in Irish sport predicts Eddie Hearn.
Forget Packie Bonner’s 1990 penalty heroics, BOD’s Parisian brilliance in 2000, Ray Houghton putting the ball in the English net, Sonia’s Silver in Sydney, Padraig Harrington’s first Major win, Barry McGuigan at Loftus Road, Munster defeating the All Blacks and even Taylor, Michael Carruth and Kellie Harrington’s Olympic heroics – a successful revenge mission by the Dublin Docklands could trump them all says the Matchroom promoter.
Victory would see the Irish Icon become a two-weight undisputed world champion, something that would cement her status as an all-time boxing great never mind one of Ireland’s greatest ever sports people.
However, it’s the fact the Bray woman, who changed both the amateur and professional boxing across a trailblazing career, goes into this fight as an underdog given no chance by many within the game that will make victory extra special.
“If she gets the win you lot should change the name of the country to Katie Taylor country,” Eddie Hearn tells Irish-boxing.com.
“It will be one of the greatest ever victories in Irish sport because not many people give her a big chance in this fight. In the boxing community people say ‘how does she beat Chantelle, I can’t see it’. That’s what they are saying to me.”
The fact the 36-year-old Irish hero goes into the fight as underdog will also heighten the atmosphere.
“I think that was a celebration last time,” Hearn added. “There was a lot of people in the crowd, maybe coming for the first time, that actually just expected it to be a routine victory (for Taylor).
“Now, she’s the underdog. You imagine the atmosphere when you’ve got somebody who is not expected to win,” he continues before pointing out Taylor has done the impossible before.
“She’s done it time and time again, she’s been written off, she’s come back, she’s broken doors down, she’d paved roads for the future, but on Saturday night she could do it all again and this would be her greatest victory yet.”
