‘That’s not the plan’ – Hearn deals Katie Taylor Homecoming blow
As things stand Katie Taylor will not fight at the 3Arena on May 20.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed plans to go to Dublin with the Irish sporting legend are on hold and a visit to the Docklands venue in early summer is no longer the intention.
News Amanda Serrano wouldn’t be fit to rematch the ‘greatest female fight of all time’ in time for May 20 raised homecoming concerns yesterday.
However it was initially believed that a rematch with the seven-weight world champion would be pushed back to September – where Croke Park would be revisited – and an alternative opponent would be found.
There is an ‘outside’ chance that Chantelle Cameron could step in to fight Taylor on the original May 20 date but as of now Matchroom are exploring other possibilities.
Hearn now wants to give Serrano time to heal from the ‘few niggles’ she picked up during her undisputed featherweight victory at Madison Square Garden and is willing to wait until July to recover.
If the New York based Puerto Rican is cleared to fight in July the Matchroom will try to bring the rematch to Ireland then and look to fight undisputed light welterweight champion Cameron later in the year.
“At the moment [Katie Taylor fighting in Dublin on May 20] is not the plan,” Hearn said.
ℹ️ #TaylorSerrano2 update @KatieTaylor @Serranosisters @DAZNBoxing @MostVpromotions pic.twitter.com/woenIH35QC
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 28, 2023
“We would like this fight to happen in July and that opens the possibility of revisiting a Stadium. But if the delay goes on until August, September, or October then yes she will fight [someone elsel]. Our plan for 2023 for Katie is Amanda Serrano and Chantelle Cameron and that’s still the plan. However, if the Serrano fight was delayed until [later in the year] then we could look at Chantelle Cameron. I feel like the injury won’t mean a substantial delay but we will keep across that over the next week.”
It’s news that will have a nation feeling forlorn but the Essex fight maker believes it may prove a blessing in disguise, pointing out it may re-open the possibility of the eagerly anticipated fight happening in a stadium.
“Everything happens for a reason, maybe it goes to Croke Park now in the summertime. The cynics will probably say it’s a made-up injury and we are delaying to get the fight at Croke Park but it’s genuinely not.”
Croke Park will most likely be off-limits for June and July time but other Stadiums may be an option. Hearn also hinted he may make Josh Warrington versus Leigh Wood fight to fill the May 20 TV gap for DAZN.
