LAST UPDATE | 17 Dec 2018
KATIE TAYLOR AND Dublin’s Jono Carroll are set to take to the ring in respective world title bouts in Philadelphia on Saint Patrick’s weekend.
Taylor [12-0, 5KOs] dominated a career-best opponent to date in Finland’s Eva Wahlstrom on Saturday night, dazzling on her Madison Square Garden debut as she won every round on all three judges’ scorecards to defend her WBA and IBF world titles.
After three successive defences of her own straps, the 32-year-old Bray woman is tentatively set to try and relieve Brazil’s Rose Volante [14-0, 8KOs] of her WBO belt in a step towards becoming the undisputed lightweight queen next year.
Talks with Volante’s team are ongoing, but should they hit an impasse, WBC champion Delfine Persoon of Belgium [42-1, 17KOs] might well be explored by manager Brian Peters and promoter Eddie Hearn. If Volante answers the call, a further unification bout with Persoon will likely follow in the summer provided Taylor is successful in March.
Finglas native Carroll [16-0-1, 3KOs] is set to fight for the world title for the first time when he faces IBF World super-featherweight champion Tevin Farmer [28-4-1, 6KOs] in the latter’s back yard.
Philly’s ‘American Idol’ defended his crown after Taylor in New York on Saturday, and previously saw off Ireland’s James Tennyson in Boston back in October.
Carroll’s perfect record came under serious strain against Frenchman Guillaume Frenois last week, but a split-decision draw kept him in the world-title picture.
With promoter Hearn having promised Farmer a homecoming in the ‘City of Brotherly Love’, Carroll — between Farmer and whom there is no love lost — has been earmarked as the perfect opponent given the prospective landing spot is Patrick’s weekend.
Both fights, as well as an exact date and venue, are yet to be confirmed, but Saturday 16 March looks most likely for a massive night in the careers of two Irish fighters.
Given it will be Tevin Farmer’s big night, per se, it’s likely that his fight with Carroll will be the headliner in Philadelphia, with Taylor vs TBC slotting in as the co-main event.
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