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THE SOUNDTRACK TO this scuffle was laughter. Friday’s weigh-in kicked off with a bizarre physical exchange between flyweights Maiseyrose Courtney and Judit Hachbold.
Courtney is making her pro debut under the Matchroom banner, after a decorated amateur career. Hungarian Hachbold lands with a 5-17 record, but evidently determined to make a splash as she demonstrated almost immediately after stepping off the scales for a face-off.
Both boxers stood in front of promoter Eddie Hearn with their fist clenched for the cameras. They then turned to face each other. Hachbold kept her fist held high, motioning it towards Courtney’s chin before pushing the 22-year-old backwards.
The agitated Hungarian appeared to point towards the scales and gesture wildly. Security quickly stepped in and Courtney, for her part, laughed throughout. Within seconds, Hachbold had her arm extended for a handshake and a bow. Will the fight be as entertaining? Debatable.
There was no such drama for Katie Taylor as the rest of the weigh-in progressed without fuss. She came on typically composed and waved to vocal support at the back of the room.
Prior to that the world champion took a moment with her father, Pete, to hug and pose for the cameras. He corners Naas lightweight Gary Cully, who takes on undefeated Frenchman Jaouad Belmehdi on Saturday night.
The most amusing exchange involving Taylor came during the week when once again the topic of motivation and retirement reared its persistent head. Generally, she nods along and expresses platitudes about loving the game and wanting more.
With the Irish press, she was relatively more relaxed and willing to crack a joke.
Is it difficult to continue to motivate yourself?
“Are you fed up with your job?” she responded.
How long more can this go on?
“Do you think I am slowing down? You definitely can’t go on forever. But I feel very, very good right now and very fresh. Looking at the whole of boxing, Terence Crawford, he is now 35 or 36. Oleksandr Usyk (35) and Vasiliy Lomachenko (34) these guys are all of a similar age.
“I don’t understand why everybody keeps asking me about retirement. I feel good.”
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