BOXING:SO IT passed that Ireland's queen of the ring was again voted the best fighter in the world by her colleagues and peers after a week which saw Katie Taylor continue to blaze a trail towards the Olympic Games in 2012.
With her third AIBA World Championship gold medal in a row, Taylor again scooped the boxer of the tournament award at the Garfield Sobers Complex in Barbados, a prize she also won after her second World Championship in China in 2008.
Following her 18-5 win over China’s Cheng Dong, there is now no coveted prize in world boxing Taylor has not won at least twice in the lightweight division she continues to dominate.
“Yesterday I had to give credit to Queen Underwood,” she said of her bruising semi-final against the American on Friday, which she just pulled out of the fire at the end after Underwood’s storming comeback in the latter rounds.
“She boxed really well. She made it very hard for me and I felt tired in the ring.
“Today I felt a lot better and I just kept her (Dong’s) arm on the jab. I’ve had a lot of tough fights before, but in a major championship I’ve never felt that way before. My main focus now is on the Olympic Games and we will see what happens after that.”
The win over Dong, who she had beaten before, was a less anxious affair than her scrap with the American. She was always ahead, from a 4-2 lead after the first round to 10-2 after the second. As the fight advanced her taller, rangy opponent kept falling behind as Taylor’s technical excellence inexorably overwhelmed her.
“We knew if Katie went behind and Dong started running it could be difficult,” said her father and coach, Peter. “So we put tactics together and Katie carried them out brilliantly. Mentally, I knew she was disappointed with the semi-final, but she couldn’t wait to get back in the ring for the final. She showed great strength of character.”
In the end, it finished the way the Irish woman has become accustomed, accelerating away and in total command. On the final bell she fell to her knees, arms above her head and with a small contingent of Irish fans adding the noise and colour.
Finally, the 23-year-old from Bray, Co Wicklow embraced her father in her blue corner before the referee officially raised her hand.
“I warmly congratulate Katie Taylor on her outstanding achievement in winning the Women’s World Boxing Championship for the third successive time,” said President Mary McAleese. “This is a remarkable sporting feat, of which we can all be immensely proud. All of Ireland was willing Katie on this evening and I join them in sending warmest best wishes.”
Taylor will move towards the World Championships in China in 2012, which are the Olympic qualifiers, with a fearsome reputation. In all, 36 athletes will qualify over three weight categories: flyweight (48-51kg), Taylor’s division of lightweight (56-60kg) and middleweight (69-75).
Providence played its part when the IOC and International Amateur Boxing Association decided Taylor’s natural weight division would be one of the three.
In a further boost, Irish businessman Denis O’Brien will now sponsor Taylor for the next three years. Digicel chief executive Barry O’Brien confirmed O’Brien would be sponsoring the champion for a “substantial amount” beyond the London Olympics.
Taylor and the rest of the Irish team are due back in Dublin today at 4pm.
