Katie Taylor brushes off Joe Gallagher goading
Katie Taylor [17(6)-0] may not, as Joe Gallagher has enjoyed suggesting, be invincible but she is adamant her skin remains impenetrable.
True to form, Natasha Jonas’s coach has been trying to stir things up during fight week. The panto villain ahead of Carl Frampton versus Scott Quigg has been sliding in thinly veiled verbal digs the way of the Irish sensation, as the undisputed lightweight world title fight draws closer.
The Manchester-based trainer with Sligo heritage has been suggesting that at least one of Taylor’s Delfine Persoon wins owe a lot to bad scoring, has told anyone who will listen the Irish star can be hurt, has been keen to state the Bray fighter doesn’t hold the same aura as before, called for fair judging and moreover the past few days.
Each move a move to rattle the undisputed lightweight world champion and pound for pound star.
However, it seems the coach who worked with Taylor’s manager Brian Peters when he manned the corner as Matthew Macklin fought Felix Sturm, has wasted his breath.
Not only did Taylor, who fights Jonas on the Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker undercard in Manchester this Saturday night, seem unaware mind games were being played, she revealed she never pays heed to pre-fight talk.
“I don’t think anyone can get under my skin to be quite honest,” Taylor told the press on Tuesday.
“I am not the type of person to be offended in any way. Regardless of what is said before the night, it will be settled on the night by the sweet science of boxing, it’s not going to be settled beforehand, so I am just focused on the actual fight itself.”
All the marbles 👑 #TaylorJonas pic.twitter.com/Sm22rPdyiI
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) April 29, 2021
Former amateur rivals, Taylor and Jonas [9(7)-1(1)] renew aqquaintences at the top end of the pro game in Manchester on Saturday. All four of the Olympic gold medal winners lightweight world titles will be up for grabs.
Taylor, who Eddie Hearn believes is the closest thing you can find to undefeatable, doesn’t believe either can read into any of their three past encounters but did suggest the entertaining nature of their past fights will be emulated this weekend.
“We’re completely different fighters now, we’re both completely different in every single way,” Taylor told Sky Sports.
“The times we fought as amateurs it was the edge of your seat type fights and I don’t see Saturday night being any different.”
Photo credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
