World and European lightweight champion Katie Taylor was back on top of the podium last Friday after receiving the Irish Times/VHI Healthcare Sportswoman of the Year award at Dublin’s Westin Hotel.
The award was presented in recognition of what has been another incredible year for Taylor, who won an historic third European title in a row in Vejle, Denmark last October.
Commentating on the award, Taylor – who collected the Irish Amateur Boxing Association’s (IABA) Boxer of the Year award earlier this month – said: “It’s a great honour to win this award, especially considering all the other monthly winners here. I think the standard has definitely been higher this year. I’m delighted to accept it.”
The 20-year-old Bray woman’s next bout could see her move up a weight to meet Sweden’s Klara Svensson in Cork next month, and she is also due to compete in a Multi Nations tournament in Russia in early March. Svensson is ranked number two in the world at light welterweight.
According to her father and coach Peter, this will be a crucial year for Taylor, who has spent the last 13 months ranked at number one in the world and Europe, as well as number one in the world and Europe in the pound-for-pound section, in the AIBA’s rankings.
He said: “It is a massive year for Katie and her defence of her world title begins here in January. Katie is determined to successfully defend her world title and that will be her main focus as the year unfolds.”
Meanwhile, six of the 10 Irish boxers going forward to the final Olympic qualifiers for Europeans in Pescara, Italy and Athens, Greece this spring must reach the finals in one of the two tournaments to secure Olympic qualification.
The other four boxers on the Irish squad can also book their spots at the Beijing games by reaching the finals.
However, failure to reach their respective finals could see the boxers concerned involved in nail-biting box-offs with the other beaten semi-finalists with a place at the 2008 Olympics up for grabs.
Irish captain Ken Egan, Con Sheehan, Cathal McMonagle, Ross Hickey, John Joe Joyce and Shane Cox have a clear picture of what they must do to secure Olympic qualification in Pescara.
In short, they must reach the finals in their respective weight categories in either the first qualifying tournament in Pescara, Italy (from 24 February to 3 March) or, provided they qualify via the National Stadium box-off on 14–15 March, the final qualifying tournament for Europeans in Athens, Greece (from 7–14 April).
A semi-final finish will only guarantee featherweights (such as David Oliver Joyce) an Olympic box-off in Pescara, however, as there are only five places left at the Olympics for Europeans in the 57kg weight category. Three of those Olympic places will be booked by featherweights in Pescara, leaving two for decision in Athens.
Light flyweight Paddy Barnes has already qualified for the 2008 Olympics, courtesy of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Championships in Chicago last year.
Meanwhile, the Irish squad departed for Donegal last Friday for a weeklong training camp. The English and French senior sides are then due at the National Stadium in Dublin on 2 February for a weeklong sparring camp.
The Irish squad will depart for Rome on 16 February for their final training camp before travelling to Pescara.
In pro news, unbeaten Belfast heavyweight Scott Belshaw’s growing reputation as a man that likes to take the early route to victory is making it difficult to find opponents from Ireland or Britain, according to his coach Alan Wilton.
Belshaw, who has won six from six, is due to appear on the Billy Walsh–James Gorman undercard at the Neptune Stadium in Cork on 26 January.
Wilton said: “There are no heavyweights in England, no journeymen heavyweights, prepared to take him. A number were approached and they didn’t fancy it.
“Our matchmaker told us he was having a very hard time of it trying to get anyone prepared to fight Scott. So for the Cork promotion on the 26th we’re looking abroad, the likes of Latvia, to find an opponent.”
“Scott has become very, very difficult to match. That’s just the way it is, and I would hope to be able to confirm a European opponent for him later this week.”
Belshaw’s career has been on hold since last summer after he sustained severe leg injuries in a car accident. But the 22-year-old is now back in the frame, and began his preparations for the Neptune Stadium with sparring sessions with Cuban Mike Perez in Dublin last week.
Light heavyweight Perez, a former world amateur junior champion, has signed up with Cork businessman Gary Hyde, and could box on the Walsh/Gorman undercard at the Neptune Stadium against an opponent of eastern European extraction.
Perez, from eastern Cuba, is coached by former Irish head Olympic coach Nicolas Cruz, who was in Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullough’s corner when they won gold and silver at the 1992 Olympic Games.
