Katie Taylor Wins Fighter of the Year Award
Katie Taylor [21(6)-0] was crowned Female Fighter of the Year by ESPN in their midyear awards for 2022.
ESPN’s Pound for Pound #1 and the undisputed lightweight world champion earned the gong on the back of her victory over Amanda Serrano in a record-breaking Madison Square Garden bill topper.
ESPN explained:
“There are other fighters to consider here, including undisputed welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill and Amanda Serrano. But Taylor beat Serrano by split decision in April, solidifying her spot as the No. 1 fighter in the world after the biggest win in the biggest fight of her career.
“Beating Serrano in an action-packed fight, where it appeared Taylor was done in the first half of the bout only to come-from-behind to win, only added to her legacy as a champion. She could have competition for women’s fighter of the year down the road, depending on what happens in other fights — including Claressa Shields-Savannah Marshall and Mikaela Mayer-Alycia Baumgardner — but Taylor likely authored the best win of the year, regardless of opponent.”
Michael Conlan [16(8)-1(1) provides Irish interest in the Fight of the Year and the knockout of the Year. The Belfast featherweight, who returns at the SSE Arena on August 6, saw his fight with Leigh Wood voted the best fight so far this year. Wood’s stoppage of the Olympic medal winner in the last round of the dramatic March fight was also deemed the best KO of the year to date.
