No Debate – Katie Taylor Unconcerned with GWOAT discussion
Katie Taylor welcomes the GWOAT debate but isn’t concerned as to where she ranks in it.
Greatest of all-time chatter has increased in volume since Claressa Shields defeated Savanah Marshall on an all female Boxxer card earlier this month.
The victory saw the American replace the Irish Icon on the top of a number of Pound for Pound lists, and also prompted some to place two-time Olympic gold medal winner, Shields above the undisputed lightweight-world champion on the list of all time female greats.
The Bray fighter, who fights Karen Elizabeth Carabajal in London this weekend, in what is her first fight since she beat Amanda Serrano in the greatest women’s fight of all time, pays little heed to where she is placed on such lists – but does note the fact it’s a topic of discussion is proof of the growth of female boxing.
“I wouldn’t say [the rankings] motivate me at all,” Taylor told the PA news agency.
“I think we’re both just doing our thing, and I’m trying to be the best I can be, and she’s trying to be the best she can be, and we’re both having a huge influence on the boxing world, which is fantastic.
“I think some of the greatest fights we’ve seen this year have been myself and [Amanda] Serrano, Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall a few weeks ago, which is absolutely incredible.
“It’s been an amazing few months for women’s boxing and I’m just delighted to be a part of that.”
The hunger burns as strong as ever 💪 @KatieTaylor #TaylorCarabajal
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) October 24, 2022
Sky Sports claimed the more than two million viewers that tuned in to watch the 15 October fight between Shields and Marshall on an all-woman card, was a record, although just shy of 2.1 million viewed Taylor versus Miriam Guttierez on the same platform before the Irish star switched to DAZN.
1.5 million also took in Taylor’s undisputed lightweight crown defence against Serrano at Madison Square Garden in New York in March.
Again Taylor doesn’t look at the numbers with a competitive eye, but rather sees them as a positive in terms of the success of women’s boxing as a whole.
The ‘Bray Bomber’ said: “For the first time in boxing history we’re seeing the biggest names as female fighters. Some of the household names are actually female fighters right now, which is absolutely incredible.
“We’re definitely seeing the best of women’s boxing for the first time in its history, I think, and it’s just a great time to be a part of the sport.”
The Olympic gold medal winner returns to the venue where she made her professional debut in 2016, with a win over Poland’s Karina Kopinska on Saturday, not that, that matters too much for the Irish great.
Taylor, 36, said: “It’s been an amazing six years and just the start of an amazing journey for me as a professional boxer. So yeah, I’m definitely excited to step back in there and just to showcase what I can do.
“I’m not really one for looking back too much. It has been an amazing few years.”
Photo credit Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
