Taylor set for Dublin date

A year on from her disappointment at the Rio Olympics Katie Taylor became the WBA Lightweight champion of the world when she defeated Argentina’s Anahi Esther Sanchez in Cardiff on Saturday night.

Competing on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight defence against Carlos Takam at the Principality Stadium the Bray fighter dominated her first ever 10 round bout.

Taylor dropped her opponent to the canvas in the second round with a stinging body shot but Sanchez recovered to see out the round and the remainder of the fight.

Taylor was reasonably comfortable throughout the bout but the two minute round format of female professional bouts didn’t allow her sufficient time to finish off her stubborn foe.

Her manager Brian Peters has promised a title defence in Dublin in 2018.