I WILL FIGHT FOUR TITLES Taylor aims to unify division this year
TWO title world champion Katie Taylor could move up a weight in 2019 if she unifies her division by the end of this year.
The Bray lightweight added the IBF belt to her WBA crown on Saturday after an emphatic unanimous decision over Argentina’s Victoria Bustos at the Barclay’s Centre in New York.
The victory improved the undefeated Wicklow fighter to nine straight professional wins.
Belgium’s Delfine Persoon and Brazil’s Rose Volante, WBC and WBO champions respectively, are next on Taylor’s wish list with the London 2012 gold medallist targeting all four major belts before her 12th outing.
Volante poured cold water on speculation a fight with Taylor this summer was a done deal
– but left the door open to negotiations.
Taylor said: “We’d love to get the WBO champion (Volante) but whether that fight is going to go ahead or not I’m not sure. There’s obviously a lot of politics involved but that would be our preferred choice. It’s going to be a tough fight whoever it is.”
Speaking in The County
Club, Dunshaughlin, Co
Meath, yesterday on her return from the US,
Taylor added: “Ideally I would love to fight for those belts within the next year but whether
I’m unifying or defending there’s mandatory challengers as well that I have to fight.
“It’s going to be a busy year, but definitely within the next year or so I am going to be the unified champion. That’s always going to be my goal.
“I was in America for the last three months preparing for that fight. It was a long stint away from home. It’s great to be home... to see family and friends, to be around the nieces and nephews again.” Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “We’d love to do it in 2018. Clean up the division in 2018 and maybe even move up (a weight). Two belts down, two to go. It’s just a brilliant story. There are some really big fights out there.”
And on her dream to fight in Ireland Taylor added: “I’d absolutely love to fight in Ireland. I’m really looking forward to the homecoming at some stage.
“I think people are excited about it as well but, at the moment, it’s out of my control. I leave that in the promoter’s hands and the manager’s hands.”
Meanwhile, Cork middleweight Gary “Spike” O’sullivan meets Puerto Rico-born Berlin “The Rock” Abreu in a stay busy but crucial fight at the Stubhub Centre in Los Angeles this evening. The 26-year-old WBC Latino champion and O’sullivan, left, the reigning WBO Inter-continental titlist, meet over 10 rounds on a five-bout Oscar de la Hoya Golden Boy promotion.
“I’ve only seen one round of his last fight in which he caused a bit of an upset. I’ll be looking to maintain the unbeaten (USA) run,” said O’sullivan who has won 27 of his 29 bouts.
“I always go in looking for a knockout. He seems to be a come forward fighter like myself. I think it’s going to make for an entertaining clash. I won’t have to go looking for him in the ring.”