Taylor lines up Bustos title bid with April bout in Big Apple

KATIE TAYLOR will bid to land her second world title in six months when she challenges IBF lightweight title holder Victoria Bustos at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on April 28.

The 2012 Olympic Games gold medal winner will be aiming to unify the lightweight division when she puts her WBA belt on the line for the second time, having claimed the crown in Cardiff last October against Anahi Sanchez and successfully defended it against Chicago’s Jessica McCaskill in December.

While the fight won’t be televised in the US, it will be shown live on Sky Sport on this side of the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Kevin Sheehy will relish his underdog status when he meets Dubliner Kiril Afanasev for the vacant Irish Elite heavyweight belt at the National Stadium next Saturday.

Nineteen-year-old Sheehy, who boxes out of the St Francis club in Limerick, has already claimed the senior and U-22 belts this season and his coaches, brothers Ken and Jimmy Moore (the only Irishman to beat Paddy Barnes at Elite level), reckon their man is bang on form.

“It’s a big hurdle for a 19-yearold, but he’s going to give it a good rattle,” said Ken.

SUPERIOR

Elsewhere, George Groves will see a specialist after dislocating his shoulder while beating Chris Eubank Jr in Manchester on Saturday.

Groves was tactically superior throughout the supermiddleweight bout, but was forced to fend off a late Eubank Jr onslaught in their Super Series semi-final after his shoulder popped out of its socket early in the last round.

The WBA world champion secured a unanimous points decision 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 in perhaps the finest performance of his career to set up a decider against either Callum Smith or Jurgen Brahmer on June 2.

Meanwhile, unbeaten Eric Donovan improved his pro record to seven wins by stopping Hungary’s Ignac Kassai in Waterford.