Belfast a possibility for Katie Taylor Homecoming
Belfast could provide the platform for Katie Taylor‘s home debut.
The thriving fight city has had the vast majority of big boxing events in Ireland over the last decade while Dublin still yearns for ‘the Bernard Dunne days’.
It was believed Irish sporting superstar Taylor could bring a big card back to Dublin and inject some new life into the pro game outside of what has recently been dubbed the Capital of European boxing.
However, Team Taylor have recently pointed to ‘climate’ issues when explaining why a promised homecoming has yet to materialise.
Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn and, especially, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Adam Smith have mentioned Cork as an option with a possible festival event next summer.
READ: Sky Sports eye Festival Fight Weekend for Katie Taylor
Now speaking to the Irish News, the unified world champion, who defends her IBF and WBA lightweight belts against Cindy Serrano this weekend in Boston, claims Belfast looks the more likely option for her Irish debut.
“Belfast looks more likely than Dublin at this stage,” said Taylor [10(5)-0].
“I would love to box at home at some stage and maybe that could be a possibility next year,” she outlined.
“That’s up to Eddie and Brian [Peters, manager], I just do what I’m told really.”
According to manager Brian Peters, who knows a thing or two about successfully promoting in Dublin and outside of Belfast having guided Dunne and others, Taylor could be part of a massive Belfast card along with some of the city’s other big names.
Poleglass super feather James Tennyson challenges IBF champ Tevin Farmer this weekend on the same card as Taylor while her Matchroom stablemate needs to get through Nonito Donaire, Zolani Tete, and, most likely, Naoya Inoue in the World Boxing Super Series.
“All we need is for Mr Tennyson to do a number on Mr Farmer and Ryan Burnett to go over and win the bantamweight [World Boxing Super Series] and then we’ll have a nice little party there with the three world champions,” said Peters.
Should she defeat former WBO featherweight champ Serrano [27(10)-5(0)-3], Taylor is likely to fight again before the end of the year, perhaps on the Rocky Fielding v Canelo Alvarez undercard in New York on December 15th or the mooted Dillian Whyte v Dereck Chisora heavyweight grudge match card in London a week later.
Burnett, should he reach the final, will be tied up with WBSS commitments until next summer and won’t be available to headline a Matchroom show in Belfast until late 2019 at the earliest.
