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Undisputed II – Katie Taylor to begin assault new weight division this November

Katie Taylor [14(6)-0] will take step one of her mission to become a two-weight undisputed champion in London this November.

The reigning WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine lightweight champion of the world looks set to move up to light welterweight when she fights in two months time.

According to Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn the Bray fighter will go straight into world title action and will most likely challenge Christina Linardatou [12(6)-1(0)] for the WBO crown at a higher weight. 

Although a rematch with Delfine Persoon was mooted – as was a ‘mega fight’ with Amanda Serrano – the most recent noises from camp Taylor suggested ‘making more history’ was the next goal.

A move up in weight to fight for a world crown fit into that narrative.

Former Taylor foe Jessica McCaskill, who made history alongside Taylor as they became the first women to top a Sky Sports broadcast show back in December of 2017, was mentioned as a possible next foe.

The Chicago fighter, who gave the now undisputed champion her toughest fight aside from Persoon, bounced back from her York Hall defeat to unify at light welter and her coach and manager told Irish-Boxing.com that she was more than willing to put them on the line against the London 2012 Olympic gold medal winner.

katie taylor punches jessica mccaskill

However, as suggested by Irish-Boxing.com, Hearn has elected to keep that fight between Matchroom fighters as a potential undisputed fight.

That means Greek fighter Linardatou will be next. Another of the Brian Peters managed fighters former foes, Victoria Bustos, is the IBF champion at the weight, but a rematch with her doesn’t appeal and rumour suggests McCaskill will look to take her title to pave the way for a massive all the marbles Taylor rematch. 

“We want her out again in November and I’d like her to box in England again,” Hearn said speaking to Declan Taylor.

“She would pull in a great crowd. It looks like she will move up a weight class to fight for another belt. I think she’d like to look at trying to become undisputed at 140lbs so that would be two weight classes cleared out,” he adds before confirming the McCaskill situation.

“McCaskill has got a fight in October but there’s also the WBO champion, who is an option. I think that we’ve got to look at McCaskill getting hold of those three belts then we can look at a unification fight. It would be a rematch with McCaskill, for all the belts at 140. That would mean becoming undisputed champion in two different weight classes which would be a massive achievement.”

An assault on a second division would look to delay an anticipated return with Belgian Persoon and that much talked about Serrano fight.

However, a second undisputed win could be achieved within two fights if all things go to plan meaning Taylor could make history early next year and have two ready-made mega fights in the pipeline.

Seven-weight world champion, Serrano, has agreed to meet the Irish sporting icon if she overcomes Heather Hardy in New York on September 13th, while Taylor is adamant she wants a Persoon return.

It also allows time for more potential rivals to build their profile and generate interest in possible 2020 fights.

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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