IRELAND’S KATIE TAYLOR has won her fifth consecutive European women’s boxing title, beating Sofya Ochigava of Russia 10-5 in the lightweight final.
The Bray woman was controversially condemned to her first defeat in three year by the same opponent last March, and their contest in Holland was a cagey one throughout as a result.
The referee had to instruct both boxers to start fighting before Taylor landed the first clean punch. She led 1-0 after the first round and extended that during the second with a couple of well-worked combinations to lead 4-1 at the half-way mark.
The bout stepped up in tempo in the third round but Ochigava failed to make enough of her punches count, and Taylor was the clear winner by the time the fourth-round bell sounded at the end of the encounter.
Taylor immediately held her arms in the air, clearly delighted, and celebrated with her corner before collecting her latest gold medal.
