Katie Taylor will not retire after shock Olympic loss
Katie Taylor suffered another crushing defeat yesterday in Rio, but is refusing to turn her back on boxing.
The Bray lightweight shockingly lost her opening quarter final bout to Finnish boxer Mira Potkonen by split decision and has been eliminated from the Games.
In the immediate aftermath many felt Taylor should retire, and she is undoubtedly no longer as dominant as she was between 2005 and 2015 when she won 18 major international gold medals.
The last time Taylor entered a major international tournament and did not medal was the 2006 EU Women’s Championships in Porto Torres, Italy, where she lost to Turk Gulsum Tatar 24:13 in the quarter finals.
Yesterday’s reversal was a third loss in six fights for Taylor, following defeats to Yana Alekseevna in the European Olympic Qualifier and Estelle Mossely in the World Championships, but still only her tenth career loss ever.
Many have pointed to the fact that Taylor is now 30 and may be past her best, but she is still one of the top lightweights in the World. Indeed Potkonen herself is five years Taylor’s senior, so calls for the Wicklow woman to halt doing what she loves may be somewhat premature.
Speaking after her defeat yesterday, Taylor dispelled any talk of retirement and promised that “I’m not finished yet, that’s for sure. It’s just very hard to take.”
Ireland’s most decorated boxer would later tweet her thanks for the support she has received over the past year.
In the midst of a disappointing year, I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the amazing support. I love you all.
— Katie Taylor (@KatieTaylor) August 15, 2016
