Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
READY FOR BLOOD & GUTS
Taylor dismisses suggestions she is in for an easy night against Spanish 100/1 shot
KATIE TAYLOR is expecting a tough fight when she defends her lightweight belts against Miriam Gutierrez this weekend – but is prepared for whatever the Spaniard throws at her.
The undisputed lightweight star is aiming to extend her professional record to 17-0 and continue her domination in the sport at Wembley Arena in London on Saturday night.
Taylor comes into the bout as short as 100/1 on with the bookies to emerge victorious, but the Bray fighter insists Gutierrez, inset, who has won all 13 of her professional fights and i s a ma n d a t o r y challenger having claimed the interim WBA belt last November, is “a l ot better” than people are making out.
She said: “I am expecting a very tough fight. She can be very tricky at times and very awkward as well. These are the types of fighters who are very hard to look well against at times.
“But I come i nto this f ight prepared for anything that comes my way. I’m prepared to go into the trenches if need be.
“I prepare for every fight to be my toughest fight and this is no different.”
Taylor added: “Every fight is more experience and I think this opponent in particular is very dif ferent to any of my other opponents that I have fought.
“I think she’s actually a lot better than what people think. I think she’s a lot trickier than what people think as well.
“Obviously the last few fights I’ve faced typical fighters, very scrappy fighters and this particular opponent is more stylistic than what I faced before so it is going to be a completely different challenge.
“I know from watching her in some of her previous fights that she is more of a boxer than a fighter. I’m not too sure if that’s going to change on Saturday night, but I’m well prepared for whatever comes my way.”
Taylor appears to have endless options for fights next year, but admits a crossover contest with MMA star Cris Cyborg, above, is something that interests her greatly. She explained: “I’d be ver y, ver y open to fighting Cris Cyborg if t h a t ’s a fight that people want to see.
“But I assume if that fight does happen, she’ ll have to come down [in weight] and make it at some sort of a catchweight.
“Unfortunately, I can’t get up to 170 so she would obviously have to come down, but yeah I’m very, very open to that.
But the 2012 Olympic Gold medalist insisted the fight would have to take place in a boxing ring.
She said: “I can’t imagine myself fighting in a cage. I can fight on my feet alright, but if they get me on the ground I’d be clueless so if I was crossing over I’d have to do a lot of training with wrestling, Jiu Jitsu and whatever else they do.
“If the fight was to happen, it would only be in the boxing ring for myself.”
It was announced yesterday that this weekend’s fight will be shown live for free on Facebook, Youtube and Sky Sports’ website.
Welcoming the decision, Taylor added: “What a great opportunity it is for myself personally and for every other fighter on the card to showcase our talents.
“It’s an extra platform to inspire these young girls and young boys coming up.”