TAYLOR SET FOR GARDEN

KATIE TAYLOR will have her first fight at Madison Square Garden on December 15, with Matchroom confirming last night that she will defend her WBA and IBF lightweight world titles against former amateur rival, Eva Wahlstrom. The bout will take place on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s middleweight title defence against Rocky Fielding. Taylor will put her belts on the line at the iconic New York venue against the undefeated Finn, who is currently WBC super-featherweight champion and is moving up a weight class to face the Bray native. The pair know each other well from their amateur days, with Taylor beating Wahlstrom to win the European championships in 2005, her first major success. ‘I was drawn against Eva in my very first international competition back in 2004,’ Taylor recalled yesterday. ‘And it seemed like every time I turned up to a major competition after that, she was in the draw! ‘She was always a really tough opponent so it is no surprise that she’s gone on to have a great professional career. I think this fight will really showcase the best that women’s boxing has to offer. I have been lucky to fight in some iconic venues since turning pro but there’s none as iconic as Madison Square Garden. I think every fighter dreams about stepping into the ring there and I’m no different.’ Wahlstrom had been due to defend her super-featherweight title in St Petersburg later this month, but that bout fell through so she has been in camp for the past few weeks. Eddie Hearn had always pencilled Taylor into the Alvarez-Fielding undercard, but this is definitely a step up in class from the 11 opponents that Taylor has faced thus far in her career. Wahlstrom is undefeated in her professional career, with 22 wins and a draw in her 23 fights and she is determined to get revenge on Taylor for the defeats from their amateur days. ‘I lost to Katie a few times when we were amateur but I am sure I won her respect. Now, in a 10-round pro fight, it will be a totally different game with all new avenues to avenge those defeats,’ Wahlstrom insisted.