TAYLOR DREAM CROKES
Bell rings on Katie’s bid to have next fight at HQ
EDDIE HEARN still believes Katie Taylor will fight at Croke Park, but it looks highly unlikely that she will do so for her next bout.
Conversations have taken place in recent months in an attempt to bring a massive boxing event to GAA Headquarters, but it now looks almost certain Taylor will not fight at the Jones Road venue in three months’ time.
Hearn insists a trilogy fight between Taylor and Chantelle Cameron remains the preferred bout to make for the Bray fighter in May, but he has not ruled out the undisputed super-lightweight champion facing another opponent either.
“The plan is for Ireland in May and we’d like that to be Chantelle Cameron,” the promoter told the Irish Mirror at the Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall press conference in Edinburgh on Monday. “We’ve got to make the numbers work for Katie obviously and Chantelle.
“I don’t think it will be Croke Park, but we will be returning to Ireland for a big show in May.”
The 3Arena, which staged both of Taylor’s fights with Cameron last year, now looks the most likely venue for her next bout, with the exact venue and opponent to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Taylor avenged her May loss to the Northampton boxer in November when winning via majority decision to become a two-weight undisputed world champion.
On the possibility of returning to the 3Arena, Hearn added: “We’ve had two incredible nights there, I don’t mind going back there. We would like to go outside but time is moving fast and I just want to make sure we get it locked in.
“It also depends on the opponent. If it is Chantelle, we can potentially go to a bigger stadium. If it’s not then the 3Arena might work as well.”
The costs associated with hiring Croke Park remain the biggest obstacle to overcome for promoters Matchroom, along with a busy schedule in May, which sees the Leinster football final take place at the stadium on May 12 before Bruce Springsteen plays a gig there seven days later.
“I’ll be honest, they’ve been very helpful,” Hearn said of Croke Park. “We’ve had some very positive conversations, but it is expensive.
“Do they want to stage a major boxing event? Maybe. They want to help Katie and we thank them for those conversations. I don’t think it will be there in May, but I do think she will fight there before her career ends.
“I spoke to Katie, we’re definitely not going to give up on it, but we’ve got to make sure we plan the date effectively.”
Meanwhile, Amanda Serrano expressed her interest in fighting Taylor for a second time over the weekend after pulling out of their scheduled rematch last year due to an injury suffered in training.
The Puerto Rican and Taylor battled it out in an all-time classic at Madison Square Garden in April 2022, with the Bray Bomber winning the contest via split-decision, and Hearn believes they will clash again, stating the 2012 Olympic champion, who turns 38 in July, could fight at least three more times before retiring.
“It’s an inevitable fight,” Hearn said of a potential rematch between Taylor and Serrano. “Will it happen in May? She’s fighting herself in March so maybe, maybe not. First focus is to get that opponent locked in.
“The three big fights out there for Katie Taylor are (inset, left to right) Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner and Chantelle Cameron and I think Katie will fight all of those by the time her career finishes.”