Macklin backs Katie Taylor to beat Brækhus and become P4P #1

Katie Taylor [12(5)-0] will become an undisputed lightweight champion before beating a women’s boxing legend to establish herself as the pound-for-pound number one.

That’s the prediction of Matthew Macklin.

The Tipperary two-time world title challenger and Sky Sports pundit is a massive fan of Taylor, who is managed by his former boss Brian Peters.

Macklin is adamant regardless of gender the unified world lightweight champion is one of the best fighters on the planet.

He is equally forthright in predicting she will become the undisputed pound-for-pound #1 during the strongest ever period of female fighting.

In fact the former Irish, British and European champion claims, over the next 12 months the Bray fighter will prove she is superior to her pound-for-pound contenders Cecilia Brækhus and Clarissa Shields – and will beat the former.

Taylor fights in Philadelphia on Friday night as she looks to add a third world title belt to her collection as she takes on reigning WBO world champion Rose Volante – and Macklin wouldn’t be surprised if she once again stole the show.

“Pretty much every time Katie Taylor fights, even on an Anthony Joshua card where there may be several world title fights, she steals the show,” said Macklin, speaking on Sky Sports.

“Not only is she technically gifted, with her skill-set and hand speed, she is also pretty tenacious.

“She has that fan-friendly style and she likes to go to war. Sometimes she could sit back behind her jab but she likes to stand there and go into a trade off.

The unification, Taylor’s second, should lead to an undisputed fight with WBC champ Delfine Persoon before a grudge match with controversial Puerto Rican seven-weight champ Amanda Serrano.

Beyond this, the name of undisputed welterweight queen Brækhus [35(9)-0] has been mentioned plenty and a catchweight fight at light welter has been suggested.

If and when they do meet, Macklin believes Taylor will be too talented and that this will outweigh any size advantage held by the Colombia-born Norwegian.

“I think they’ll probably meet at 140lbs,” he noted.

“That’s probably the biggest fight in women’s boxing ever.”

“I don’t think that size will be an issue because Katie, with her speed and skill, she can make it not about physicality she will use her speed and navigate herself to a points win.”

“I believe that Katie will prove, culminating in that Brækhus fight, that she’s number one.”

“So male, female, gender out the window, Katie Taylor is one of the best fighters in the world, and I believe she is the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, and she will establish and cement that over the next 12 months.”