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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Daniel Duffy

Katie Taylor's trainer hits back at the suggestion that she is on the "slide" ahead of Lightweight World Title defence

Katie Taylor's trainer has dismissed suggestions that she is "on the slide" going into her World Title bout with Natasha Jonas.

Speaking to Sky Sports Ross Enamait said the 34-year-old will be "as sharp as ever" on Saturday night.

"We looked great in the last fight, we beat Delfine Persoon clear in the second fight, we looked great against Christina Linardatou.

"You're going to see the best Katie Taylor on Saturday," said Enemait.

"We're just here to win the fight, we train hard for every fight. This is Katie's 12th World Title fight, it's their (Jonas) 12th fight period."

"We're coming to win, we're here to win on Saturday."

Jonas's trainer Joe Gallagher believes Taylor's best days are behind her.

"Katie has had an awful lot of hard fights of late, distant fights," said Gallagher.

"I'm not talking bad of Katie because she is a media darling, but if this was just a normal male fighter who people think she's gone to the peak and starting to show signs (of a slide) we'd be saying it."

But the World Champion believes that she is only getting better as her professional career has progressed.

"I've shown my best in my last few performances. My last three fights have probably been my best three performances as a pro so I feel like I'm improving and getting better each time."

Taylor and Jonas clashed at the quarter-final stage of the Olympics at London 2012 as Taylor went on to claim gold, but the Bray fighter told Sky Sports both fighters have changed since then.

"The fight was nine years ago, we're both very different fighters now than we were back then. I think we've both developed and matured into great pro fighters.

"Saturday night is going to be completely different from the London Olympics."

"We don't take any easy fights, I'm in this sport to fight the best."

"We train for every single fight as if it's going to be my hardest fight," said Taylor.

"My mentality doesn't change from fight to fight so I'm looking forward to a great fight on Saturday."

Jonas goes into the fight as the underdog, but it is a tag that the Liverpool fighter is relishing.

" I think every time I'm asked to step up I do and perform."

" Being the underdog for me is no different, I'm always the underdog on the big nights."

"In boxing one punch changes everything and I do believe I have power," said Jonas.

" I don't like making predictions, I don't want to disrespect anybody but I do believe I have to power to do so (Win by knockout). If I get the opportunity it will be the end of the fight.

The bout takes place on Saturday night at Manchester Arena on the undercard of Derek Chisora and Joseph Parker.

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