Eddie Hearn hints at Katie Taylor weight category change as P4P Great awaits

Amanda Serrano has retired, Natasha Jonas has been knocked out, Estelle Mossely and Mikaela Mayer need a lot of development, and Rose Volante and Delfine Persoon are nowhere to be seen.

There are big names and big fights out there for Katie Taylor but, at present, many look to be ever so slightly out of reach.

The WBA and IBF champion defends her lightweight titles tomorrow night in Boston versus Cindy Serrano but her days at lightweight could be numbered according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

While Taylor is a physically small 135lber and could most likely make super featherweight, a lack of willing opponents has her team looking north.

Sure there is English rival Chantelle Cameron and Heather Hardy could be a high-profile fight if the Irish-American wins the WBO featherweight title next month.

However, many fights seems to have roadblocks – with the path to being an undisputed champion being hindered by WBC champ Delfine Persoon and WBO titlist Rose Volante who have both gone off-grid recently.

Hearn believes a move up in weight could be in order – and a pound-for-pound great is willing to meet Taylor in the middle.

The Matchroom boss described how “it’s hard to get them [Persoon and Volante] to fight her [Taylor]. She’s vicious.”

“I think we’re going to have to move up weights to find some real competition because right now, she’s at the top of her game – a joy to watch. One of the biggest stars in the whole sport.”

Undisputed welterweight champ Cecilia Brækhus [34(9)-0] of Norway, however, is very keen on facing the Bray boxer.

The Colombia-born fighter has mentioned Taylor in the past but gave her most definitive statement of intent this week in an interview with the42.ie where she outlined that she’d be keen on facing the Wicklow woman in a light welterweight showdown.

The undefeated 37-year-old outlined how “I’m a small fighter, they know that, I’m a small welterweight, I’ve always been. I’m actually having trouble staying fit in my division so dropping down would not be a problem for me.”

“Katie would have to go up one and I would have to go down one. That’s something I’d be open to, for sure.”

“It has to happen I would say in the next year or so. Right now I take it fight by fight, but I won’t be around forever.

“A fight with Katie would be big anywhere: Norway, England, Ireland and here in America. It wouldn’t matter to me where we did it. It would be huge anywhere.”

First of all, however, Taylor must overcome Serrano at the TD Garden tomorrow night, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Afterwards, an appearance on the Canelo Alvarez v Rocky Fielding card at Madison Square Garden in New York on December 15th looks a strong possibility.

A fight with Brækhus, should it ever happen, is one which would deserve a big build-up and would most likely, if at all, take place next Summer.

Read Declan Taylor’s interview with Cecilia Brækhus in full here