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Taylor shares a joke with her corner. INPHO/Dan Sheridan

I need to refocus quickly, admits Taylor ahead of historic Olympic decider

I’ll try my best to have a good night’s sleep but we’ll see how we go,” said the Bray woman afterwards.

KATIE TAYLOR INSISTS she’ll be ready for tomorrow’s Olympic decider tomorrow.

The Bray woman beat Mavzuna Choerieva 17-9 in the tournament semi-final this afternoon to set up a gold medal showdown.

She’ll face Sofya Ochigava in tomorrow’s final (4.45pm) after the Russian beat Brazil’s Adriana Araujo 17-11.

“It’s amazing, to box for a gold medal tomorrow is amazing. The support here has been unbelievable; it feels like I’m boxing at home in Dublin really. 10,000 Irish people, it’s incredible, this is what dreams are made of. And hope fully I can make everyone proud tomorrow,” Taylor told TheScore.

“I boxed [Ochigava] in the world championshipships and I know what to expect. Yeah, I’ll arrive tomorrow, boxing for a gold medal. I’ll try my best to have a good night’s sleep but we’ll see how we go. I find it hard to sleep the night before fights anyway but we’ll see in a few hours.”

Today’s win was a different kind of battle than her first clash against Team GB’s Natasha Jonas earlier this week.

“It was a completely different fight to Monday’s really,” Taylor said afterwards. “It was always going to be kind of tricky over the first couple of rounds, She’s a good counter puncher and I just had to stay calm and comped and try to get the points over four rounds. It was a great win and I thank God again.”

Peter Taylor, her father and coach added: “An Olympic final, it’s absolutely unbelievable. We knew it would be a free-for-all but we had a plan. “We know Sofya well. It’s going to be a tough fight but it’s an Olympic final.”

Going for gold: Taylor through to Olympic final

In pictures: Irish fight fans fill the ExCel Arena ahead of Katie’s showdown

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