Katie Taylor: Lioness In Winter

By: Sean Crose

As she pushes ever closer to the age of forty, Katie Taylor, a legend in women’s boxing if ever there was one, realizes she has to reflect on her time in ring – and about how much more time she can spend in there. “You obviously just take one fight at a time,” Ireland’s Taylor told Sky Sports. “I know that I can’t do this forever and I don’t want to do this forever. I don’t want to be taking punches for the rest of my life. But here I am getting ready for another huge one.”

That other “huge one” is a third battle with arch rival Amanda Serrano. Just how good were the first two fights between the women? Good enough to top Boxing Insider’s Best Fight of the Year list for two years straight. Some of the rounds these two women have fought in have reached Halger-Hearns levels of explosive boxing. The bouts have obviously taken a lot out of both women. Taylor, however, isn’t done yet. “The fire hasn’t died down,” she told Sky Sports. “I have this desire in my heart to just bring women’s boxing up again…I know that I have what it takes to perform well. I know that I have it all and feel like I am getting better and better with each performance so I can’t wait to step in there.”

Taylor, one of the more pleasant boxers of this era, views her accolades and achievements with a sense of gratitude that stands out in the rugged world of the sweet science. “I’m so happy that I get the opportunity to get the fight again,” she said. “Another history making fight. I’ve always wanted to be involved in the biggest fights possible. This is a huge, huge fight. I hope I put an exclamation mark at the end of this performance and make it 3-0 for me. I’m super excited and I’m more determined than ever and I’m looking forward to putting on a great showcase,” Taylor said.

Although she has defeated Serrano on the judges’ cards twice, those were very close decisions, so close that there’s a considerable argument to be made that it was Serrano who should have won at least one of the matches, if not both. This third fight, which goes down July 11th in Madison Garden, will be a must see attraction. Expect a large crowd and much pre-fight hype. “I hope it’s going to be another incredible performance,” says Taylor, “and another incredible showcase for women’s boxing.”