Katie Taylor will be challenging Greece’s Christina Linardatou for the latter’s WBO light-welterweight title this weekend at the Manchester Arena.
The Bray native will be moving up a weight class after becoming undisputed lightweight champion in June, with a contentious majority decision verdict over Delfine Persoon at Madison Square Garden.
Despite calls for a rematch, it appears Taylor has first set her sights on conquering the 140lbs division, where former opponent Jessica McCaskill is also a unified beltholder.
Indeed, like McCaskill, Linardatou was similarly unsuccessful in her attempts to become a lightweight champion, before moving up and achieving world championship glory with a stoppage victory over Canadian Kandi Wyatt in March.
Having already made a successful defence against Deanha Hobbs in June, the Dominican-born fighter now has the opportunity to claim what would unquestionably be the biggest scalp of her career with a shock victory over Taylor – someone who has already positioned themselves as one of the burgeoning superstars of female professional boxing.
However, expect Taylor to quickly put to bed any notions of an upset with a dominating performance, as she resoundingly outpoints her Greek counterpart to become a two-weight world champion in just her fifteenth fight.
Fan favourite and former WBA world champion Anthony Crolla also bids farewell at the same arena which has played host to some of the most memorable nights of his career.
The Mancunian will be making his swansong against unheralded Spaniard Frank Urquiaga after suffering a vicious knockout defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko for the unified lightweight championship in April.
Undefeated Commonwealth middleweight champion Felix Cash will also be facing Jack Cullen on the undercard, while Doncaster’s female IBO champion Terri Harper will also be looking to extend her unbeaten record against Viviane Obenauf.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter: @DarkMan________