Dreaming Big – New Pro Shauna O’Keefe Targets Katie Taylor Rematch
Shauna O’Keefe is dreaming of fighting the fighter who made it possible for her dream.
The Tipperary lightweight has targeted a pro rematch with former amateur foe Katie Taylor – and has put a massive meeting on her 2025 wish list.
It’s not that the Kevin Mitchell-trained soon-to-be debutant has beef with the Irish fight legend, indeed quite the opposite.
O’Keefe is a massive fan and is fully aware the pro career she gloves off tonight is only possible because of the path Taylor blazed.
It’s more she is following the two-weight undisputed world champion lead and dreaming as big as possible.
O’Keefe, who weighed in against the Olympic champion for the 2015 National Elite championships and thus made it possible for Taylor to win an Irish title in the ring for the first, debuts at York Hall tonight and will begin a career she is confident will be successful.
“I plan to make history for myself,” she told Irish-boxing.com.
“I’m finally embarking on my own professional career and I’ll have loads of experiences like Katie has had in the pros. I’ll be going for European titles, World titles, I want to be two-weight division Word champion and undisputed as well,” she adds.
“I am not looking past December 8. I have loads of goals, loads of ambitions, I know exactly where I’m going but I have something I want to do first on December 8. Once I do that I’ll tell the world what I’m going to do.”
When discussing Taylor’s win over Chantelle Cameron, which she attended in person, the Clonmel BC graduate dropped in a ‘fight Katie Taylor’ goal.
“I knew deep down that Katie was going to come back and win that fight. It just goes to show that the belief you have in yourself brings you that extra mile. Nobody can take belief away from you and I have it in abundance.
“I would love, and this is no word of a lie, if Katie Taylor stayed around for another 15 months to have the opportunity to share the ring with her again as a pro. These are things I can aim for because Katie has paved the path for us. If she can do it so can I.”
The 2023 National Elite champion at 63kgs begins pro life in the famous York Hall tonight when she fights Vaida Masiokaite over six rounds.
