Katie Taylor Stepped Up; Who’s Next? Will it be Persoon, McCarter, Serrano, McCaskill or Braekhus?

 

By David A. Avila

Ireland’s Katie Taylor put an Irish whuppin on Brazil’s Rose Volante and added another title to her lightweight collection of the WBA, IBF and WBO belts.

Next up could be Belgium’s Delfine Persoon who holds the WBC strap.

Taylor’s ascent had been slow-moving by her matchmakers considering she had hundreds of amateur fights. After so-so competition against pro fighters that were all at least 7 to 1 under dogs, she was finally fed a real threat and she gobbled her up.

As Gennady “GGG” Golovkin recently said, “just because someone has a belt doesn’t mean they are the best.” There are many without belts that are vastly superior to some of those with world title belts. Politics can get in the way.

But against Volante that was not the case; the Irish fighter was facing someone with true knockout power and a real danger.

Immediately Taylor let Volante know she could crack too and dropped her during an exchange. It set the table for the nine-round thrashing that came afterwards.

After the fight Taylor basically called out WBC’s titlist Persoon. On paper it looks like an even better fight than the Volante match. The Belgium southpaw has height, speed, power and attacks. She also wants the showdown with Taylor so it looks like it can be made.

Now the question is how much, where and on what media outlet?

Those are all big questions and it’s up to their respective promotion companies now.

Persoon

According to Persoon they have sought a unification match for over a year and offered a reasonable sum. Taylor’s team said through the media it was not enough. The other major question is the media outlet. Taylor has DAZN and Persoon has Belgian television. Who will offer more? And where will the site be?

It’s a great clash of styles and one that looks to be a major test for each champion.

But what if this unification match doesn’t happen?

Here are some suggestions:

Other possible Taylor foes

Layla McCarter is turning 40 next month and despite not losing for more than 11 years no world champion will challenge her in the boxing ring. She started as a featherweight and has captured world titles from 126 to 154 pounds. Most of her damage has been done in other countries and has not lost a fight since 2007. That’s an incredible feat.

Ironically, the Las Vegas fighter’s best weight is the 135-pound lightweight division though she’s been campaigning as a welterweight in hopes of luring Norway’s great Cecilia Braekhus. More on Braekhus later. It would be a crime to see McCarter retire without the boxing world seeing her perform against today’s best like Katie Taylor.

Another could be Amanda Serrano though she just recently fought at 115 pounds she also formerly held the same WBO lightweight title that Taylor just recently won against Volante. Serrano has the technical prowess and skills to match blows with Ireland’s best, the only question is the size difference. But what argument can anyone say against the Puerto Rican southpaw who has grabbed world titles from 115 to 140 pounds in seven weight divisions. Who else can say that?

Brooklyn’s Serrano has never had that marquee fight or payday but now that she’s with DAZN look for it to happen this year. Can she beat someone like Taylor?

One other American fighter who could provide a great test is Jessica McCaskill who fought Taylor back in December 2017. It was the international boxing world’s first glimpse at the Chicago fighter who staggered Taylor in their fight.

McCaskill added more layers to her arsenal since that clash in England and was last seen snatching the WBC super lightweight title from Argentina’ s famed Erica Farias. McCaskill is eager to gain a rematch against Taylor on American soil. She’s improved more than any other elite fighter in the past year. It would be worth revisiting.

Our last suggestion is undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus. But would Taylor be willing to move up in weight or can Braekhus move down and meet the Irish fighter at 140 pounds?

It’s one of those dream fights that sound reasonable but only to the fans, not always to the fighters or their promoters.

Taylor has proven to be one of the top female fighters in the world and now joins America’s Claressa Shields as the trail blazers for women’s prizefighting entering another level.

For women’s boxing to be successful there can be no more tune ups. Anytime a world title fight is shown on television or a major streaming system it must be worth watching.

 

Shields vs Hammer

America’s Claressa Shields stands ready to face Germany’s Christina Hammer in a middleweight showdown between undefeated world champions on April 13, at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. If you live near the area definitely go watch history being made.

Never before have two such vastly talented undefeated world champions met in a match that’s equal to this. This is Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier. It’s the top of the chart for female prizefighting and will also be televised by Showtime.

 

More Female Fight News

Argentina

Juliana Basualdo (1-0) was the winner by decision after four rounds versus Antonella Molina (0-4) on Friday March 15. The bantamweight match was held at Cordoba.

Maria Roman (14-4-1) defeated Valeria Perez (12-6) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday March 15. The IBF bantamweight world title fight took place at San Juan. Roman, 36, was making the fourth defense of the title she took from Carolina Duer back in August 2017.

Ana Guichapani (12-0-1) beat Cintia Castillo (9-6) by decision after 10 rounds on Friday March 15. The Argentine super featherweight title fight took place at Rio Gallegos.

 

Belgium

On Friday March 22, super middleweights Femke Hermans (9-2) and Sweden’s Elin Cederroos (5-0) meet in a 10 round fight for the IBF world title at Pamel-Roosdaal.

 

Bolivia

On Saturday March 23, super flyweights Mariela Valverde (7-6) and Luz Vargas (0-0) meet in a six round bout at Sucre.

 

Canada

Kim Clavel (7-0) defeated Soledad Macedo (17-15-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 16. The light flyweight match took place in Montreal.

On Saturday March 23, super welterweights Marie Eve Dicaire (14-0) and LinaTejada (12-5) meet in a 10 round IBF world title fight at Montreal.

 

Chile

On Friday March 22, super flyweights Daniela Asenjo (9-2-2) and Debora Gomez (5-2-1) meet in an eight round clash at San Francisco de Mostazal.

 

France

Estelle Mossely (4-0) beat Olena Medvedenko (5-5) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 16. The lightweight fight was held in Toulouse.

Sabah Ghades (3-0) defeated Ivanka Ivanova (1-9-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 16. The light flyweight contest was held in Issoudrun.

Aurelie Froment (1-0) beat Ksenija Medic (0-13-2) by decision after four rounds. The lightweight fight took place at Maraussan.

On Friday March 22, lightweights Myriam Dellal (17-8-3) and Pasa Malagic (11-4) meet in a six round fight at Besancon.

 

Germany

Oezlem Sahin (25-2-1) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Anne Sophie Da Costa (28-4) on Saturday March 16. The minimum weight clash took place at Essen.

Alicia Kummer (13-1) was victorious by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Prisca Vidot (9-6) on Saturday March 16. The super lightweight title fight took place at Buchholz.

On Saturday March 23, middleweights Ema Kozin (15-0-1) and Sanna Turunen (5-2-1) meet in a 10 round title fight at Ludwigsburg.

On Saturday March 23, lightweights Beke Bas (12-0) and Carina Greimel (3-1-1) meet in a 10 round title clash at Paderborn. Also, super featherweights Leonie Giebel (12-0-1) and Angela Cannizzaro (6-4-1) meet in a 10 round title match.

 

Hungary

Jasmina Nad (9-21-4) beat Natasha Rothpflug (0-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 16. The featherweight match was held  at Gyula.

On Saturday March 23, super lightweights Bianka Majlath (3-1) and Kamilla Boka (3-2) meet in a 10 round title fight at Kistarcsa.

 

Japan

Eri Matsuda (3-0) beat Nanae Suzuki (8-3-1) by unanimous decision in the main event of an all-female fight card on Wednesday March 13. The minimum weight fight took place in Tokyo. Other fight results Miyo Yoshida (12-1) beat Yoshie Wakasa (6-1) in a bantamweight bout; Natsumi Shimauma (3-1) beat Rena Koizumi (1-2) in a bantamweight bout; Airi Motoki (1-0-1) and Chisa Tanaka (2-6-1) drew in a super bantamweight match; Ayaka Kikuchi (0-0-1) and Miyuki Katsuya (0-0-1) drew in their flyweight pro debuts; Honoka Kano (1-0) knocked out Ai Oki (0-2) in the second round of their minimum weight fight; and Haruko Kaneko (1-3) defeated Rena Takahashi (1-3) in a minimum weight clash. Look for more on this fight card on this web site.

On Thursday March 21, bantamweights Yuko Henzan (7-7-4) and Arasa Nimnoi (4-2) meet in a six round fight at Tomigusuku, Okinawa.

On Friday March 22, super flyweights Kanako Taniyama (1-0) and Phannaluk Kongsang (5-7-1) meet in a six round bout at Tokyo.

 

Kenya

On Saturday March 23, super bantamweights Fatuma Zarika (31-12-2) and Zambia’s Catherine Phiri (16-3) meet in a 10 round clash for the WBC world title at Nairobi. The titleholder Zarika, 34, is making the third defense of the title. This is a rematch. They first fought on December 2017 in Nairobi with Zarika winning it by unanimous decision. Phiri is a former bantamweight world titlist.

 

Mexico

On Saturday March 23, super flyweights Diana Fernandez (19-2) and Kandy Sandoval (10-12) meet in a 10 round match at Juarez.

 

Philippines

On Monday March 25, flyweights Casey Morton (7-1-3) and Chie Higano (8-7-1) meet in a 10 round title contest at Manila.

 

Russia

On Friday March 22, bantamweights Fatima Dudieva (2-0) and Yana Andreeva (0-0) meet in a six round contest at Serpukhov.

 

Spain

Elhem Mekhaled (12-0) defeated Danila Ramos (7-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 16. The super featherweight fight took place in Barcelona.

On Friday March 22, lightweights Miriam Gutierrez (9-0) and England’s Sam Smith (9-2) meet in a 10 round title clash at Madrid.

On Saturday March 23, minimum weights Catalina Diaz (4-2) and Lynn Harvey (5-1) meet in a 10 round title fight at Madrid.

 

Sweden

Patricia Berghult (12-0) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Mari Tatunashvili (4-9-2) on Saturday March 16. The welterweight fight was held at Orebro.

 

United Kingdom

Dani Hodges (4-1) beat Lauren Parker (2-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday March 16. The flyweight match was held at Bedford.

 

USA

Taylor Starling (1-0) knocked out Myasia Oglesby (0-1) in the second round on Saturday March 16. The featherweight fight took place at Charlotte, North Carolina.

Katie Taylor (13-0) blitzed by Brazil’s Rose Volante (14-1) to win by technical knockout in the ninth round on Friday March 15. The WBO, WBA, IBF lightweight title fight took place in Philadelphia, Penn. Taylor now has three of the four major lightweight world titles.

On Wednesday March 20, featherweights Wamnee Ereaux (1-0-1) and Katie Newholy (0-2) meet in a four round contest at Havre, Montana/

On Saturday March 23, super flyweights Iris Contreras (2-0) and Rebecca Light (0-2) meet in a four round fight at San Mateo, California.

On Saturday March 23, featherweights Cristina Fuentes (9-10-7) and Iranda Torres (11-4-1) meet in an eight round contest at Robstown, Texas.