3 weeks ago
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KATIE TAYLOR could be in danger of LOSING one of her world titles with a potential rival waiting in the wings.
The Bray woman is the current WBC lightweight and super-lightweight champion, retaining the latter against Amanda Serrano.
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Instagram / wbcboxingShe has not fought at 135lb since beating Karen Carvajal in October 2022, instead moving up to 140lb to fight Chantelle Cameron.
After initially losing to the Brit at the 3Arena, Taylor beat her in Dublin last November to become a two-weight undisputed champion.
She was made to relinquish three of her four lightweight straps in the aftermath, and could be made to give up the fourth after beating Serrano.
Caroline Dubois in interim champion at 135lbs, with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman revealing the commission would be contacting the Irish woman’s team to decide what she is going to do.
He told Sky Sports: “It has been quite a long time since [Taylor] defended the lightweight [title]. Caroline Dubois is the Interim champion.
“Caroline Dubois got an Interim championship so she can make money, she can be a champion and look in the near future for something.
“Hopefully there will be a resolution.
“We’re going to let Katie Taylor take a very well deserved rest for a week then we’re going to contact them and see exactly what the plans are.”
A decision is expected at the WBC convention next month.
A return to lightweight to fight Caroline Dubois is one of a number of options available to Taylor.
Speaking on Off The Ball, her promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that the 23-1 Irish legend remains hellbent on fighting in Croke Park before she retires.
Attempts have been made in recent years to bring KT to GAAHQ in recent times but fell through due to finance issues.
GOING FOR CROKE
The Matchroom Boxing chief said: “How much have we talked about it over the years and, like if there was ever a time…I’ve actually said this before, to be fair.
“But we’re in November now, that gives you enough preparation for a summer event at Croke Park.”
Hearn hinted that Taylor may not fight again, and said that it would take “something pretty special and unique” for her to do so.
He added: “We’ve just seen the biggest female fight of all time in front of the biggest audience of all time.
“It’s like, surely…and I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think it’s 100% guaranteed that Katie Taylor will fight again.
“I’m sure she will, but it’s going to take something pretty special and unique.
“We had a long call with her last night with (her manager) Brian Peters and she was full of (enthusiasm).
“In the training room after (the fight), it kind of felt like if she was to turn around now and say, ‘that’s it for me’.
“I’d actually be extremely happy in a way that you could bow out on a night like that.
“But then she said, ‘there’s a few things, though, that I’d really like to do’.
“I said, ‘what’s that’, and she said, ‘Obviously I’d like to fight at Croke Park and I’d like to fight in Las Vegas.'”
There has already been talk of Taylor fighting Amanda Serrano for a third time, despite holding a 2-0 record against her.
Then there is Chantelle Cameron, whom Taylor beat to become undisputed super lightweight champion at the 3Arena last November.
In the lead-up to Taylor vs Serrano 2, Cameron expressed an interest in fighting the winner, with her series with the Irish woman locked at 1-1.
And Hearn said bouts against either at Croke Park or The Sphere in Las Vegas would tempt Taylor more than another trip to the 3Arena or Madison Square Garden.
He continued: “I know there’s been a lot of interest from the Madison Square Garden guys because of the first Serrano fight to do something possibly in the Sphere in Las Vegas, which would be so iconic for her career – and Croke Park.
“But I just think if it’s Chantelle (Cameron) back at the 3Arena or it’s Amanda Serrano back at MSG, I’m not sure that’s necessarily going to really excite her in the same way that doing something different would.”
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