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"I just need a few weeks of sparring" - Taylor staying sharp for Serrano


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Katie Taylor insists she will be ready to meet the challenge of Amanda Serrano, once she's given the all-clear to fight. 

The undisputed lightweight champion of the world has been stuck at her new Connecticut home since January.

Initially she was there for a training camp ahead of a showdown with former seven-weight champion Serrano in Manchester on May 2.

However, coronavirus saw that card shelved and the Bray fighter unable to return home.

It's six months since Taylor's unanimous decision win over Christina Linardatou, already her longest gap between professional fights - and counting.

She was a guest of Sky Sports' Boxing Show on Friday, and was asked how she's coping in Connecticut, "Yeah it's going ok.

"It's challenging times, I think, for a lot of people but I'm just trying to make the best of the situation.

"I obviously miss meeting up with people and meeting up with friends over here with the current situation.

"But I am still training away here. I came back over here in January to start training camp for the Amanda Serrano fight so it's been the longest training camp ever!"

"I'm just looking forward to the fight actually happening now."

Legacy

The 33-year old says she now wants to cement her legacy in the sport.

"It's all about legacy for me. I want to leave a great legacy, I want to be involved in the best fights", she told Sky.

Taylor wants her division to be compared to some of the greats of all time.

"Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns fought each other in their primes and will be remembered for generations because of that.

"Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Norton. These are legendary fights and these guys go down as legends of the sport.

"That's the sort of legacy I want to leave.

"I'm fighting Serrano next, there has been talk of me fighting Braekhus, and the Persoon rematch is very important. I'd be happy to fight those three next.

"They are huge fights and I want to be involved in the best fights possible. We are all still in our primes. That's what makes these mega-fights so special.

"The Persoon rematch is important because a lot of people had her winning the fight, so I definitely need to put that to bed.

"The next time I fight her I'll put on a better performance. It was a particularly bad performance that night but I dug deep and got the win in a close fight. It could have gone the other way but I'm grateful it went my way.

"I'm looking forward to the rematch and to put on a dominating performance."

Behind closed doors

Taylor's clash with Serrano was due to share the billing with Dillian Whyte's heavyweight contest with Alexander Povetkin.

Her promoter Eddie Hearn said earlier this week that Whyte and Povetkin is likely to be among his first attractions when he is allowed stage boxing again.

That fight will take place behind closed doors, and Hearn said of Taylor-Serrano, "I will try to make it happen on the Whyte vs Povetkin card somehow, somewhere, some way.

Taylor told Sky how she's been keeping fight-ready in the States, "I'm doing an awful lot of running myself at the moment and just trying to sustain a bit of strength work as well.

"So when I do get a fight date I am going to be one of those fighters who is definitely going to be prepared", she added.

Taylor's confident it will only take some fine-tuning to be ready for Serrano, "I probably just need a few weeks of sparring, and that's about it.

"The base is definitely going to be there, but it's very very important not to over-train.

"It's important right now just to stay smart and just do what I can do during this time - just stay fit and sharp at the moment.

"When I do get the green light, I'll definitely be ready to step back in."


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Alexander Povetkin Amanda Serrano Boxing Dillian Whyte Eddie Hearn Katie Taylor

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