Zero Concerns – ‘History-making fights’ more important than Katie Taylor ‘s undefeated record
It’s not quite a case of victory at all costs for Katie Taylor.
The undisputed lightweight world champion won’t sacrifice her boxing principles to build a record – and thus has zero concerns about losing her zero.
The Wicklow wonder is happy to sacrifice to prepare properly for a fight, always more than willing to go deep into trenches in battle, and gives of herself massively to ensure she wins.
She has literally paid for her remarkable game-changing success in blood, sweat and tears and won’t now look for a cheaper way to enhance her legacy.
The undisputed lightweight champion could hand-pick opponents and increase the number of W’s in her win column with relative ease but for her, that would be the equivalent of selling her boxing soul.
It’s an approach that cost her, her unbeaten record in May. The Olympic gold medal winner could have shadow-boxed and sold out the 3Arena, and as a result, could have picked any opponent for her homecoming clash when Amanda Serrano pulled out.
However, the Brian Peters managed superstar actively sought out the toughest fight available and hence Chantelle Cameron came to town.
The English fighter proceeded to spoil the party and broke Taylor’s duck egg after a close encouther of the boxing kind.
Taylor was devasted to suffer defeat but knew that was always the potential price to pay for her ‘fight the best ‘approach. With that in mind, she has no issues with not being an unbeaten fighter anymore.
It means much more to the 36-year-old, who has shared the ring with Delfine Persoon, Serrano, Jessica McCaskill, Nathasa Jonas and Cameron over a storied career, to be involved in entertaining fan-friendly fights than to be undefeated.
Speaking at the press conference to publicise her November 25 clash rematch with Cameron, Taylor said: “I just want to be involved in the biggest fights in women’s boxing. People asked me: ‘What was it like to lose your zero?’ I wasn’t overly concerned with losing it. I was extremely disappointed to lose but not because I lost my zero it was because I lost.
“You have to look at my career – my goal was to be involved in the biggest fights, it wasn’t to retire with a zero. I just want to be involved in the biggest fights possible in the sport. I want to be involved in history-making fights.”
