This one should be a cracker.
Katie Taylor moved imperiously to 20-0 in her professional career, tonight, with a unanimous points decision victory over Firuza Sharipova at the M&S Arena in Liverpool. Eddie Hearn has even bigger and better planned for 2022.
The first four rounds were close enough, but Sharipova got ragged and loose after four rounds, had a point deducted after constant warnings and was forced to go for broke in the last round.
Taylor was given a stern talking to after four rounds but soon found her range, had her left hooks dialled in and did some damage to the right eye of Sharipova. She landed a few lusty right-handers too.
All three judges awarded Taylor a comfortable win on points. Taylor could have had a stoppage in the final round after unloading some punishing blows, but Sharipova clung on and won a lot of respect in her first world title fight.
Following the bout, Taylor set her sights on some big fights in the United States next year, but it was left to promoter Eddie Hearn to provide all the tantalising details.
Katie Taylor with her WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine Lightweight Titles (Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)Eddie Hearn on Katie Taylor’s next fight
Speaking to DAZN after Taylor’s win, Eddie Hearn teed up what should be a box-office 2022 for the Bray native.
“She always wants to fight,” the promoter began. “The plan, 100%, is Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden.
“That is the biggest fight in women’s boxing. Katie has been wanting that fight for a long time.
“You know how difficult it is with these mega-fights, but Katie has fought two mandatory challengers in the past 13 weeks, they’re out of the way. It’s now time to make this historic fight at Madison Square Garden.
“That’s it, and that’s the biggest fight of all time in women’s boxing.”
Hearn confirmed that talks are already underway on the fight and that Jake and, or, Logan Paul could be on the MSG main card too.
“If Serrano gets through her next fight,” he added, “I’m almost certain we’ll see Taylor versus Serrano at Madison Square Garden.”
“This is what it’s all about,” beamed Taylor after Hearn laid out what should be a huge fight at ‘The Mecca of Boxing’.
