Hearn CONFIRMS Taylor homecoming but sparks Croke Park worries

Eddie Hearn has CONFIRMED Katie Taylor [22(6)-0] will fight Amanda Serrano [43(30)-2-1] in Ireland in May of this year.

That’s the good news.

The bad? The Matchroom boss claims a venue to host a rematch of the greatest-ever women’s fight has yet to be decided upon.

Irish fight fans have long since been hoping for a massive Croke Park homecoming for the Irish sensation. Indeed, reports this week suggested GAA Headquarters was provisionally booked for May 20 and May 27.

However, when talking to IFL TV today, Hearn claimed the venue was up in the air. Hearn confirmed if Serrano successfully unifies the entire featherweight division live on DAZN in Madison Square Garden on February 4 the Taylor homecoming is a go.

Although where that first fight in Ireland for the Irish Icon takes place remains to be seen as it appears an agreement to fight at Croke Park has yet to be reached.

“If Amanda Serrano beats Erika Criz, she will fight Katie Taylor in May. Where that will be can’t give you an answer what I can say is that it will be In Ireland,” told IFL TV.

“I don’t want to go into too much but you know there’s a lot of work to be done with Croke Park to stage that fight there. I’m not willing to talk further on at the moment but it is very much our plan to stage Taylor-Serrano in Ireland in May

The 3Arena has been discussed as a venue previously but that Docklands arena is deemed too small. Matchroom may explore Aviva options but Team Taylor love the romance of being only the second fighter behind Muhamad Ali to top a Croke Park bill – and Jones Road is the preferred venue in terms of the Irish public.

Speaking recently Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna said: “This is the type of event… that requires a number of moving parts. What we do is we say that we have these dates available, and this is how it would work from our perspective. That job has been done. And now we need to make sure Matchroom, and Brian Peters can make all the other things come together.”

Hearn has said Matchroom needed assistance from Croke Park and the Irish government to make the fight happen on Jones’ Road.

Speaking on that McKenna added: “The Minister for Sport has been supportive but he’s not, nor should he, write a blank cheque. He’ll want to see value in this. Any messaging I would have said to Matchroom, or Brian Peters would be to put a compelling case together and I think you are pushing an open door.”