Taylor announces 24 February come-back
Katie Taylor at the London Games
Olympic and AIBA World champion, AIBA Women's Boxing Ambassador Katie Taylor has announced today 18 December details of her upcoming bout at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. The Irish Lightweight (60kg) will meet an opponent to be confirmed at the Dublin venue on 24 February.
Her dad and coach Pete Taylor said that they were looking at a number of world class opponents for the 2013 promotion in the Irish capital.
Taylor took the London Olympic Games by storm earlier this year with a series of brilliant performances en route to winning gold as women's boxing made its historic Olympic debut.
The achievement cemented her place as one of Ireland's greatest ever athletes and saw her receive international acclaim with USA Today naming her as one of the most inspirational athletes of the Games alongside track stars Usain Bolt, Mo Farrah and David Rudisha.
Taylor also won her third Best AIBA Elite Woman Boxer of the Year Award this month and was unveiled as AIBA Women's Boxing Ambassador by AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
It has been a whirlwind few months for the World number one since she beat Russian southpaw Sofya Ochigava in the Olympic 60kg final in August, but now the Co. Wicklow woman's focus is on getting back to basics and getting back between the ropes.
"It's been such a busy time but I'm really looking forward to getting back in the ring and boxing again," she said.
"I've tried to keep life as normal as possible and the support from people wishing me well has been brilliant.
"It seems everyone knows who I am now but I've never been interested in being a 'celebrity' so that has taken some adjusting to. I took a few weeks off from training after the Olympics but I've been back in the gym for quite a while now so it is good to be back in a routine and training hard again with a fight date to focus on.
"The Olympics really opened people's eyes to the sport and the standard at the games was so high and it's only going to get harder to defend my titles. The major boxing nations are investing hugely in the sport and some of my rivals like Sofya Ochigava in Russia, the Chinese girl Cheng Dong and Natasha Jonas from the UK now face serious competition in their own countries so the standards keep rising as the sport's profile is increasing.
"I'm still only 26 and I feel I have things to prove and things to achieve in the sport. I'm constantly learning in the gym and looking to improve. I've always set myself goals and I want to retain that Olympic title in Rio in 2016 and retain my European and World titles as well so I'm hungrier than ever to keep improving.
"It was a very long road to get to the top step of that podium in London. When I started boxing as a child I always dreamed of winning a Gold medal for my country at the Olympics but obviously for so long it didn't look like that would ever be possible.
"I think I'm proof that if you work at your dreams hard enough and persevere they can come through. It's brilliant to see the effect winning the Gold medal has had on kids when I meet them and it's amazing to think that they are taking inspiration from what I have done and see that nothing is impossible."
Her dad and coach Pete Taylor said that they were looking at a number of world class opponents for the 2013 promotion in the Irish capital.
Taylor took the London Olympic Games by storm earlier this year with a series of brilliant performances en route to winning gold as women's boxing made its historic Olympic debut.
The achievement cemented her place as one of Ireland's greatest ever athletes and saw her receive international acclaim with USA Today naming her as one of the most inspirational athletes of the Games alongside track stars Usain Bolt, Mo Farrah and David Rudisha.
Taylor also won her third Best AIBA Elite Woman Boxer of the Year Award this month and was unveiled as AIBA Women's Boxing Ambassador by AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
It has been a whirlwind few months for the World number one since she beat Russian southpaw Sofya Ochigava in the Olympic 60kg final in August, but now the Co. Wicklow woman's focus is on getting back to basics and getting back between the ropes.
"It's been such a busy time but I'm really looking forward to getting back in the ring and boxing again," she said.
"I've tried to keep life as normal as possible and the support from people wishing me well has been brilliant.
"It seems everyone knows who I am now but I've never been interested in being a 'celebrity' so that has taken some adjusting to. I took a few weeks off from training after the Olympics but I've been back in the gym for quite a while now so it is good to be back in a routine and training hard again with a fight date to focus on.
"The Olympics really opened people's eyes to the sport and the standard at the games was so high and it's only going to get harder to defend my titles. The major boxing nations are investing hugely in the sport and some of my rivals like Sofya Ochigava in Russia, the Chinese girl Cheng Dong and Natasha Jonas from the UK now face serious competition in their own countries so the standards keep rising as the sport's profile is increasing.
"I'm still only 26 and I feel I have things to prove and things to achieve in the sport. I'm constantly learning in the gym and looking to improve. I've always set myself goals and I want to retain that Olympic title in Rio in 2016 and retain my European and World titles as well so I'm hungrier than ever to keep improving.
"It was a very long road to get to the top step of that podium in London. When I started boxing as a child I always dreamed of winning a Gold medal for my country at the Olympics but obviously for so long it didn't look like that would ever be possible.
"I think I'm proof that if you work at your dreams hard enough and persevere they can come through. It's brilliant to see the effect winning the Gold medal has had on kids when I meet them and it's amazing to think that they are taking inspiration from what I have done and see that nothing is impossible."
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