KATIE TAYLOR WILL contest her first Olympic final after defeating Mavzuna Choerieva 17-9 this afternoon.
In front of a strong Irish crowd at London’s ExCel Arena, the Bray fighter, competing in the women’s lighweight, saw off the threat of her 19-year-old Tajikistan opponent comfortably by winning all four of the two minute rounds.
The four-time world champion was 3-1 up at the first bell and made it 4-2 (7-3 overall) at the halfway point. Choerieva looked to close the gap in Round 3 but lost it 6-3 to leave Taylor seven points ahead going into the final round.
It’s a dream come through,” she told RTE Sport afterwards. ”I just had to stay calm and composed. She was always going to be showboating and she’s a bit dirty as well.
“It was a great win. An Olympic final tomorrow, what can I say. God is great. He is my shield my strength. Glory to God. I have to go and be focused for tomorrow and forget about today. It’s different fight altogether.
On the tributes which have been flooding in from the boxing world, she added: “I haven’t been taking much notice of what’s going on around me. Everyone’s been great and at home I know I’ve a whole nation praying for me.”
Peter Taylor, her father and coach said: “An Olympic final, it’s absolutely unbelievable. We knew it would be a free-for-all but we had a plan.”
The 26-year-old will now take on Sofya Ochigava in tomorrow’s final (4.45pm) after the Russian beat Brazil’s Adriana Araujo 17-11.
“We know Sofya well. It’s going to be a tough fight but it’s an Olympic final.”
Well done Katie, the Irish crowd were fantastic…
Daily Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews)
Posted at 12:52 PM August 8, 2012 on Twitter
“RT @Telegraph: We’re sorry for mistakenly describing the fantastic boxer Katie Taylor as British in our London 2012 section today. She is Irish, of course.”
Brilliant…she didn’t just beat her….she beat her up! Now go get your gold medal….
Get in there Katie! Doing the country proud as always!
Nice one Katie – roll on Gold!!
The disappointment of Euro 2012 is a distant memory now. Katie . . you have rescued this miserable summer with your brilliance.
Ireland’s greatest athlete today and maybe Ireland’s best ever athlete, even without an Olympic gold
Well done, Katie. Gold is beckoning. That Tajiki lady was outclassed and knew it with her attempted shennannigans and silly manoeuvres.
Tajiki? Tajik? Tajikstani?? cant be trusting Jimmy McGee with this stuf!!
You can’t trust Jimmy on ANYTHING related to the fight! He’s too busy tellin us about Katie’s aunt cheering her on in Gort, or wherever..
Brilliant fighter and wonderful atmosphere. She’s doing Ireland proud and with her focus she’s going to claim the gold !!!
Hip, Hip, Hurrah for Katie!!!!!
Whooowooo!!
well done katie great result :-)
Smashing stuff Katie … Can’t wait for tomorrow!!!!
Well Done Katie
Well done katie! Looking forward to 2moro’s final!! :)
I find it very hard to get excited about women’s boxing when I know I would beat any of them in the ring. Katie wouldn’t last too long against a man. Now that’s a fight I would pay to see!
go away ya langer
troll
I would pay to see Katie fight you. She’d knock the troll head right off your troll shoulders.
KT vs you is a fight we’d all love to see, bud.
Have a look on you tube Katie v paddy Barnes and u mite change ur tune Dick or sorry Pete
I think you’ll find Lennox Lewis and Amir Khan have said she’d beat any man in her category! Give us a shout when you’re world champion and reach an Olympic final ;-)
believe me when i tell u this katie is sparring men 6 days a week and most of them wouldnt live with her in the ring so i would pay to see u in the ring with our hero
I’d say she’d beat the lard out of ya
I wish u weren’t the first comment on this..find a little positivity in your life..Couldn’t be prouder :) excitement for tomorrow
Any chance the Journal could set this up? Would make a nice charity event.
She’d beat you into the ground.
I’d love to see her knock seven shades of sh!te out of you. can’t imagine a keyboard warrior would have a great jaw..
There’s always one muppet in the group!!!!! I pay money for a ring side seat …. You v KT …… As she knocks 50 shades of shite outta!!!!!
Come on Katie!!!!!! Your doing everyone proud including Mr big talk above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRDJwffi8Eg&feature=youtube_gdata_player have a look at this u nob
tell you what, how bout you arrange a fight with her and then see who wins. if you’re that confident, shouldn’t be a bother to you
Really your just looking for a reaction, Katie is a true Olympic Athlete, and is doing us very proud!
Love your Twitter profile pic, id say that is you every weekend!
Ah man, it really is too easy to troll theJournal, classic!
That RTE Youtube video of Katie & Paddy Barnes sparring is fantastic. Thanks Shane Brehony for mentioning it.
At about 1:11 Paddy throws a left. Katie waits until the punch has started, sees an opening and throws her own left. Hers lands first.
Feck, she’s fast.
Obviously you have never seen the paddy Barnes Katie Taylor YouTube clip you monkey
hahahahahahhaha. good one.
âš¡Wynnnerâš¡, this is the youtube clip I was referring to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyK9USHX1ZY
Don’t believe everything you see on YouTube. Paddy Barnes would destroy her as would I. Take off the headgear and let’s skip this tippy tappy boxing. I will gladly meet anyone on journal.ie in the ring as well. Anybody? Didn’t think so.
“Don’t believe everything u see on YouTube?” Are u on drugs?! What? U think they super imposed her face onto a mans body? Cop on and stop trolling for a reaction and hiding behind a fake account. She’d knock you out even if you were in the heavy weight division mate!
“Don’t believe everything you see on YouTube. Paddy Barnes would destroy her as would I. Take off the headgear and let’s skip this tippy tappy boxing. I will gladly meet anyone on journal.ie in the ring as well. Anybody? Didn’t think so.”
Seriously Peter, go play on a roundabout somewhere!
Pass the popcorn, this is getting good.
Well done Katie turn the silver to gold
They might be as well just giving the gold medal to her now! Queen of the ring!
I know she’s technically a culchie, being from the sheep shagger county, but she sounds like a Dub.
Can Dubs claim her as their own?
Go troll somewhere else Gavin, it gets boring.
dat woman is unstoppable, just amazing to see her fight
It can rain for another year,I don’t care, as long as Katie can do the same again in the final!!
Fantastic achievement and best of luck in the final.
Peter who ????!!!!! IDIOT well done Katie x legend,lady and pure hero. Roll on tomorro. Gold or silver we the Dubs are sooooooo proud of you. Xxx
If I ever had to hire a bodyguard i’d take Katie!
Once again. Peerless.
I think I’m in love !
Delighted for Katie!cant wait for tomorrow now. On a slightly different note anyone know when they might be coming home??would like to welcome them home in the airport!
Good on her..just wish she would leave god out of it.
One Word…LEGEND!!!!
Chuck Norris wears Katie Taylor pajamas :-)
Well done Katie!! Great performance and a well deserved win!
I’d favor a northside/ southside Olympics.
Events: 100m puke shot, the Trolley throw, 200m dash from Gardai, Women’s hair-pulling.
Another would-be comedian, stick to the day job pal!
Katie going for gold !
I think she said a little dirty inside, not a dirty fighter.
So Katie has won every round she’s fought so far. Perfect score!
Brilliant fighter!!
Amazing
Static ;)