A long overdue pro fight in her native Ireland is all but guaranteed to be a part of Katie Taylor’s 2023 campaign.
If the undisputed lightweight queen and pound-for-pound entrant gets her way, the year ahead will also include a return to the U.S.
“I would love to fight in the U.S. again in 2023, hopefully in Vegas one day,” Taylor told BoxingScene.com. “That’s definitely on my bucket list. I hope that can happen soon.”
Taylor wrapped up 2022 with her second win of the year, a ten-round, unanimous decision over Karen Elizabeth Carabajal for her fourteenth overall lightweight title defense on October 29 at OVO Arena Wembley. The fight site was also where Taylor (22-0, 6KOs) made her pro debut nearly six years ago. The entirety of her already historic career has taken place in the U.K. and the U.S., with The 36-year-old pride of Bray, Ireland fighting once each in both nations on the year.
Prior to her win over Carabajal, Taylor defended her undisputed lightweight championship in a hard-fought split decision win over unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano (43-2-1, 30KOs)—who moved up in weight—in a superfight for the ages on April 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was Taylor’s third career fight at the iconic venue and first as a headliner, while having also fought in Brooklyn, Boston and Philadelphia.
A fight in Las Vegas would mark the first for Taylor in what is widely claimed to be the boxing capital of the world and her first stateside fight outside of the U.S. northeast region where she also lives and trains. The two-time Olympian, 2012 Olympic Gold medalist and two-division title claimant as a pro has fought seven times on this side of the pond, with hopes of more to come next year in addition to her well-deserved Ireland homecoming.
“I hope so. I love fighting in the U.S.,” noted Taylor. “I live and train in Connecticut. It’s easier to fight where I train.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
