Taylor stadium fight edges closer
IT will be known within the next two weeks if Katie Taylor will get her dream Croke Park fight this year.
That is according to Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith (inset), who was speaking after watching both Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan record stoppage victories in Belfast on Saturday night.
The score is currently 1-1 between Taylor and Chantelle Cameron after the pair battled it out in two absolute crackers last year, with the 2012 Olympic champion avenging her May defeat to the Northampton fighter in November to become a two-weight undisputed world champion.
Talks have been ongoing between Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, who are the promoters of both Taylor and Cameron, and the Government, as well as both Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium, with a decision on a venue now expected early next month.
“Both the fighters want to know what we’re doing,” said Smith. “The aim for us is to make the Chantelle Cameron fight with Katie Taylor, it’s not 100 per cent confirmed yet or determined, but that’s coming now in the next 10 days I’d say.
“We’ve got to get something moving. If we’re looking at
May for a fight of that magnitude, it’s got to be in the next 10 days/two weeks that we get it over the line.
“As well if we’re going to do it in a stadium with the work that goes into it with the selling of that number of tickets, you can’t leave it much longer than that.”
The cost of hiring the stadiums, as well as their availability, are two issues that will need to be resolved if Taylor is to finally get a stadium fight.
The Aviva Stadium stages the Europa League final on Wednesday, May 22, while Croke Park will host
the Leinster football final on May 12 before Bruce Springsteen plays a gig at the venue seven days later and there is still the strong possibility the 3Arena could stage a fight between Taylor and Cameron for a third time.
“We’re in talks with Croke Park, as well as the Government,” added Smith. “These conversations don’t happen overnight. There’s a lot of procedure you have to go through, but we’re getting to a point of crunch time.
“We’re looking at May. One of the difficulties as well is the schedule of events. Not just Croke Park, but the Aviva as well.
“The Aviva have got the Europa League final at the end of May. There’s obviously the concerns of the pitch at both venues and not to cover the pitch. I can understand that as well, but we’re doing everything within our power, we want to deliver that night.”