Katie Taylor has been blown away by the ‘amazing’ reception she has received in the build-up to the biggest fight of her life.
World Championship boxing returns to Dublin on Saturday evening as Taylor takes on Undisputed super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron and the Capital is a hive of activity.
From the open workouts at Dundrum Town Centre on Wednesday to Thursday’s packed press conference at Dublin Castle, Taylor has been greeted by throngs of adoring fans.
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“It’s amazing to think I’m only a few days away from making my homecoming fight” said Taylor.
“I’m just so excited about it. It’s brilliant to see so many people there on Wednesday as well, so many young kids there, they must’ve got the time off school - I’m not sure how they all ended up there.
“Just amazing to see so many young girls especially. It’s very cool to be able to have an impact on some of those younger kids.”
One moment of the build-up in particular has stood out to Taylor. On Wednesday, she welcomed 11-year-old Carly Burke into the ring during her open workout to shadow box with the Undisputed Lightweight Queen.
A completely spontaneous moment, and one that gave Katie as much of a kick as the young superfan.
“It’s great to be able to make an impact, like calling that young girl into the ring on Wednesday I think that made her day. I’m really happy to be able to do things like that.
“I just caught her eye. She just kept waving up at me and I just asked ‘Do you box?’ and I just called her into the ring then.
A rare moment of serenity in what has been a hectic few weeks for the Bray Bomber. She shouldn’t get too comfortable to the feeling, as she will be entering the cauldron of the 3Arena tomorrow evening, where a red-hot crowd will be on hand to roar on their local hero.
A sold-out crowd will be on hand to cheer Taylor on, but the 36-year-old will only have ears for the words of her coach Ross Enamait.
Taylor feels Saturday’s fight is destined to be an ‘epic’ due to the different styles each fighter has. The 2012 Olympic Champion is no stranger to such a contest having famously defeated Amanda Serrano in an all-out war last year.
The razor-thin decision went Taylor’s way in the end, and Cameron has been quick to point out this week that Taylor has fallen on the right side of very tight decisions in the past, and implied that she was lucky to do so on a couple of occasions.
“What can I say about that? Who cares really. Every fight was well won, well deserved. It’s nonsense.”
Perhaps the most important thing for Taylor however is simply being a role model for the fighters of tomorrow. Take away the titles, the money and the fame, all she really wants is for fighters to look up to her in the same way she looked up to Ireland’s first female World Champion Deirdre Gogarty.
And if that winds up being her abiding legacy, then she would happily accept it.
“Obviously she was a big hero to me growing up, a big inspiration for me. It’s amazing looking at the generations of boxers - I’m looking up to Deirdre but I hope there’s some young girl looking up to me as well that I can make a huge impact on, like the way Deirdre made a big impact on me.
“That’s what legacy is all about I suppose.”
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