Katie Taylor happy to finish second to Carl Frampton in the Irish GOAT race
Katie Taylor says she would have no qualms being considered Ireland’s second greatest ever fighter behind Carl Frampton if that’s how fight fans eventually ranked them.
The ‘Ireland’s greatest’ debate reared its head in recent weeks, particularly with ‘The Jackal’ having the chance to become Ireland’s first-ever three-weight world champion in Dubai earlier this month.
Many argued if the Belfast fighter managed to defeat WBO super featherweight world champ, Jamel Herring, in Dubai and became a three-division titlist, he would have cemented his status as the best from this country ever to lace them up.
The Irish fight legend is still in the conversation despite defeat and since retirement accollades have been pouring a plenty.
Taylor, who some deem Ireland’s greatest ever sportsperson, is also in that conversation but it’s not a debate she concerns herself with.
Asked about her standing in the all-time list on The Ak & Barak Show (on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation) the undisputed lightweight world champion and boxing trailblazer admitted she wouldn’t mind the accolade.
However, the Olympic gold medal winner and greatest female boxer of all time contender claims she prefers to just focus on being the best she can be every time she enters the ring and leaves the GOAT debates to others.
“I would love to be considered the greatest Irish fighter of all time but if I am second to Carl Frampton I am doing a great job as well. I’m not too hung up about those things. I’m just trying to be the best that I can be and just trying to improve in every single fight. Whether people consider me to be the best or not I’m just trying to be the best that I can be.”
🎙️ “I’d love to be considered the greatest Irish fighter but If I’m second to Carl Frampton, I think I’m doing a great job as well.” — @KatieTaylor on her legacy and place in Irish boxing history 🔊@TheBoxingBully
— SiriusXM Boxing (@SiriusXMBoxing) April 7, 2021
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Having won world titles in two weights and unifying the lightweight division, the Bray sensation is now in the legacy stage of her career. The 34-year-old has her sights set on mega fights rather than making history and looks set to be involved in the biggest fights female boxing has ever seen.
Next up is a re run of one of the Olympic’s most famous boxing bouts as Taylor rematches Natasha Jonas on May 1.
Come through that and a battle of the undisputed fighters with Jessica McCaskill awaits and a fight billed as the ‘biggest female fight of all time’ against Amanda Serrano may follow.
