KATIE TAYLOR WILL defend her undisputed lightweight crown against former featherweight world titlist Jennifer Han in Leeds on Saturday, 4 September.
The Irish icon [18-0, 6KOs], a lifelong Leeds United fan, will square off with the Texan [18-3-1, 1KO] in a mandatory defence in the rugby stadium at Headingley, their bout acting as the co-main event to a men’s featherweight rematch between hometown hero Josh Warrington and Mexican Mauricio Lara.
The outdoor card will be broadcast worldwide — including in Ireland — only on DAZN, this following Matchroom Boxing’s departure from Sky Sports to partner exclusively with the sports-streaming giant. DAZN is available to download on all mobile devices and on most smart TVs. It currently costs €1.99 per month in Ireland, although this remains a ‘special introductory price.’
“I’m really excited to defend my titles in front of a live crowd again and especially in Leeds,” said Taylor, whose father was born near the Yorkshire city.
I grew up as a Leeds United fan so it’s fantastic to see them back in the Premier League and doing so well again. My last few fights have effectively been behind closed doors and it’s definitely a strange experience so I think to have crowds back again, and outdoors in Leeds, will make for a very special atmosphere.
“I’m back in the US in training camp, working hard and focused on putting in another big performance against a tough and experienced opponent on 4 September.”
The message from challenger Han, meanwhile, was straightforward:
I want to thank Katie for this opportunity. Enjoy your belts while you still have them. I will see you in September.
The El Paso native is a former six-time US amateur champion and after beating Helen Joseph in 2015, made four successful defences of her featherweight world-title belt between 2016 and 2018. She has since moved up 10 pounds to 135 but her bout against Taylor will be just her second in her new weight class. She has never been stopped in her three career defeats.
Taylor, meanwhile, has ruled unequivocally supreme at lightweight for two years, and most recently fended off a stern challenge from former amateur rival Natasha Jonas in a thrilling bout in Manchester in May.
The Bray woman’s team hope that a successful defence in September will tee up an even bigger fight in the winter, with welterweight champ and former opponent Jessica McCaskill among those clamouring for a shot at the consensus pound-for-pound number one in what would be an unprecedented undisputed-v-undisputed clash for the women’s ranks.
In the main event in Leeds, former featherweight world champion Warrington [30-1, 7KOs] will seek redemption against the man who inflicted upon him his only career defeat in a stunning upset back in February, Mauricio ‘Bronco’ Lara [22-2, 15KOs].
Elsewhere on the card, two scourges of Irish boxing in the shape of Jovanni ‘Impacto’ Straffon [24-3-1, 17KOs] and Maxi ‘Maximus’ Hughes [23-5-2, 5KOs] will square off at lightweight.
The previously unheralded Straffon stopped Belfast banger James Tennyson in a done-in-one slugfest on the same bill as Taylor-Jonas in May, while British champion Hughes has risen to prominence with victories over Irishmen Jono Carroll and Paul Hyland Jr, as well as Kazakh Viktor Kotochigov.
