“My biggest fight”. “More than a dream for me”. “An honour”.
Katie Taylor is unbelievably excited about her first ever world title bout in professional boxing. Are you? Is the country?
On Saturday, October 28 at the Principality Stadium [a.k.a the Millennium Stadium] in Cardiff, Taylor will take on Anahi Esther Sanchez for the WBA title in only her seventh pro fight. Such was her pedigree, and talent, Taylor was always going to be in the title picture but she has gotten there sooner than many of us could have hoped.
In the lead-up to the fight, which will be on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s bout with Carlos Takam, Taylor told Boxing News Online:
“I’ve had the opportunity to box on big shows before but this fight without a doubt is going to be the biggest of my career and open more doors in the future. I cannot let this chance slip, which brings pressure but it’s the type of fights I want.”
Bigger than London 2012. Bigger than Rio 2016.
This is it for the Bray native. She wants to beat Sanchez – a world champion at two different weight classes – and begin to build as golden a legacy in the pro game as she so brilliantly achieved as an amateur.
And yet there has been scarce talk, and coverage, of the fight even as it glides ever closer. Only in the past 24 hours have we seen reports emerge and that is because Taylor has been put up by the fight promoters for interviews.
Mention to a friend or colleague that Taylor is fighting for a world title belt and many will be non-plussed. “Is she?”, “When’s that on so?”, “I had no idea”.
No matter how the next week goes, Taylor’s quest for a legitimate world strap will be doing well to receive a tiny fraction of the coverage that Conor McGregor’s debut in the sport against Floyd Mayweather Jr. garnered.
In years to come, we will rave about Taylor to those that only saw glimpses of her in action – or never had the honour at all. Brave as hell, tactically astute, fast and punishing with her combinations and possessing great footwork. Boxing is her life and the work she puts in has astounded fellow Olympians like Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes.
We live in an age, here in Ireland, where three of our greatest ever sportspeople have all been in action and readily available to catch in full flow.
Briege Corkery, Cora Staunton and Katie Taylor. We are existing in their respective eras. All multi-talented, all grounded and approachable; giving of their time.
We take them for granted at times. It’s hard not to. They always seemed to be around; winning things.
Their victories are celebrated for a day, maybe two, and then life moves on and sport creates new narratives, heroes, heartbreaks and villains. Win an Olympic gold medal and the afterglow stretches longer but we’re soon asking ‘What’s next?’
Taylor is taking on her most dangerous opponent yet in Cardiff, next Saturday night, but it’s almost as if we expect her to win. It’s just what she does. So she must contend with the apathy until that win arrives. She must work in the shadows, triumph and return there.
We’ll miss her when she’s gone but so many are ignoring too much of an incredible journey.
And then you get idiots like this:
Whenever there is a big Katie Taylor fight you will find social media comments advising her, and other top female boxers, to re-route to the kitchen. Taylor was winning Irish and world championships at amateur level years before her London gold but it was that achievement that brought her to worldwide attention. It also attracted a slew of idiotic comments.
Get back in the kitchen. It’s as tired and formulaic as it is downright offensive.
Taylor has proved herself to be one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes and if she defeats Sanchez next weekend, that may tip the scales forever in her favour.
Perhaps her greatest achievement to date is making believers out of people who never gave the sport a chance. She can’t take everyone along for the ride but, next Saturday, she will have thousands of thousands following her quest and urging her on.
It’s just a shame that we often have to wait on the win to raise the roar.
