Unified lightweight champion Katie Taylor and New York-based Amanda Serrano are in line for a 2019 mega fight.
Unbeaten Taylor said yesterday that the Puerto Rico-born southpaw is next on her hit list and she wants the bout to be a headliner.
It’s expected the fight will be confirmed for September or October next week.
“For me, Serrano is probably the biggest fight out there,” said Taylor, who trounced Serrano’s sister Cindy in Boston last year.
“That fight is going to be a mega fight, a super fight. It’s a headline fight as well which puts me in a position where I can headline a fight in New York or somewhere.
“Where woman’s boxing has come over the last few years has been absolutely phenomenal,” added the Wicklow orthodox.
Taylor, the IBF/WBA/WBO champion, beat Belgium’s Delfine Persoon on a controversial majority decision at Madison Square Garden last Saturday to unify the 135lb division.
But Persoon wants her belt back and is formally demanding a rematch with Taylor for the World Boxing Council (WBC) title after her “outrageous loss”.
Filiep Tampere, Persoon’s manager, has officially lodged a letter of complaint with the WBC.
“I wish to complain about the scandalous/outrageous decision. We do not agree with the result of the fight. The result was not at all correct. Katie Taylor has certainly not won the fight”, wrote Tampere.
“We, therefore, ask to get the chance for a direct rematch for the WBC title. Delfine wants to return her green belt and does not want this WBC belt to be picked up this way.
“I was also very disappointed that no WBC referee was present during the title fight. This result is a shame for the sport of boxing and the whole world says this.”
Taylor, still bearing the scars of battle at yesterday’s press conference, acknowledged it was a very close bout and reckons a rematch with the Flanders police officer will happen.
But with massive fights with Serrano and possibly Cecilia Braekhus on the horizon, beltless Persoon is already the least of her priorities.
“The rematch is inevitable. It’s definitely going to happen but there are big, big fights out there for me," remarked the Bray woman.
“The plan is to fight again in September or October. There are plenty of big fights out there with the likes of Amanda Serrano or Cecilia Braekhus.
“They are history-making fights, some of the biggest fights in boxing, not just women’s boxing, but boxing as a whole.”
Meantime, Wicklow will host a homecoming reception for Taylor, who has yet to fight in Ireland as a pro, on the Bray seafront today (6.30pm).
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