By: Sean Crose
“I obviously know I can’t do this forever,” Katie Taylor told The DAZN Boxing Show. “I don’t know if I want to take punches for the rest of my life.” Taylor has already had the kind of career that, if she were to step aside right now, her eventual induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame would already be a foregone conclusion. Not that the 21-0 fighter is running towards the exits. “I absolutely love my sport,” she said. “I love training, I’m not sick of the early mornings and I’m not sick of the cold morning, the running sessions, the sparring sessions, I genuinely do love my sport.”
That’s a good thing for Taylor, seeing as how she has an upcoming battle with Karen Carbajal to prepare for. Carbajal, like Taylor, is undefeated, boasting a record of 19 wins against 0 losses. The Argentine fighter is also, at 32, roughly four years younger than the 36 year old undisputed lightweight champion Taylor. Plus, should she get past Carbajal, Taylor might have a battle with UFC legend turned professional boxer Cris Cyborg in her future. “I think she had a fight a few weeks ago,” said Taylor. “She was getting a bit of boxing experience under her belt, I guess.”
Taylor, whose dedicated her life to the sweet science, admits that there could be an appeal to a showdown with Cyborg. “She is an MMA legend,” Taylor says of her potential foe. “She’s a lot bigger and heavier than me as well so that makes for an interesting fight.” Ultimately, Taylor appears to feel the matter will be settled by the fans. “I would be willing to step into the ring with her,” she said of Cyborg, “if that’s the fight people are interested in so that could be possibility.”
Taylor, of Ireland, has now defended her undisputed lightweight crown six times since becoming sole ruler of the division back in 2019. Her last fight was an absolute war with fellow iconic fighter Amanda Serrano last April at Madison Square Garden. Taylor walked out of the ring that night with another win on her resume thanks to the judge’s decision, though the fight was razor thin, so thin in fact that it probably could have gone either way, or even been ruled a draw. The Taylor-Carbajal fight is scheduled to go down October 29th at London’s Wembley stadium. It will be broadcast live in the United States via the DAZN streaming service.
