There were moments during Katie Taylor’s fight at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night when it looked as though the images were being played back at twice the normal speed.
Such was the blurring pace of her bodyshops on Ewa Wahlstrom and it was a fact not overlooked by boxing cognoscenti who were even drawing comparison to Sugar Ray Leonard.
This was her most impressive fight as a professional and while she wion every round, her opponent never made it easy. It was visually strong and that’s often a major factor when it comes to scheduling.
This bout at the spiritual home of big time boxing was a significant step for Taylor and manager Brian Peters. Yes they were only fifth on the card but is was a sell out contest and while many of the ringside seats had yet to be filled when she climbed between the ropes the impact of the win, and the fact that she was there, adds to a growing sense that Women’s professional boxing is being accepted as ‘normal.’
The talk afterwards was of a next bout in Philadelphia around St Patrick’s Day and potential a clash of the two biggest names in the sport Taylor against Amanda Serrano, perhaps back in the same venue in twelve months time, and higher up the card.
What you want and what you are given in professional boxing is determined by the box office appeal and the ability to sell bums on seats as well as pay per view packages.
Taylor is still at the stage where she has yet to crack the real big time in terms of purses but each bout will be worth a decent six figure sum at present and she is moving up the register of recognition.
As she flies home to Bray in the coming days she can reflect on a year in which she moved four steps closer to breaking through as a genuine Boxing superstar in the US.
Her Hero status here at home is something else, but Taylor is now on the verge of becoming a true global superstar.
