FRUSTRATED BY A year of missed opportunities and squandered momentum, Olympic champion Katie Taylor is once again weighing up a move into professional boxing.
Taylor helped to put women’s boxing on the map last summer but she feels the sport has gone backwards since she lit up the country with her gold medal last August.
She plans to return to the ring in November for two to-be-announced dates against Finland’s Mira Potkonen in Dublin but even at that, 2013 has been a much quieter year than she would have liked.
Looking to the future, she admits that she is now “definitely thinking about turning pro.”
After the success of London there were offers on table, including a strong expression of interest from Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, but Taylor turned them down to concentrate on defending her Olympic title at Rio 2016.
The creation of an AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) tournament for women, along the lines of the men’s World Series of Boxing, would have allowed her to fight some professional-style bouts while allowing her to keep her amateur status.
But boxing bosses have not got that idea off the ground yet.
There was further disappointment when the European Championships, which were expected to be held in Dublin this year, were postponed until 2014.
So aside from a few well-received cards promoted by Brian Peters around Ireland, Taylor’s main action this year came at the EU Championships in Hungary where she won her fifth consecutive title.
“It was in a little tented area and there were only around 100 people there,” she said. “It was really badly done. A lot of the main boxers were even missing from the competition.”
Now the November fights against Potkonen, whom she beat in the EU semi-finals, look set to be her focus for the next few months. Despite efforts, the lightweight division’s biggest names — including Olympic silver medallist Sofya Ochigava, Great Britain’s Natasha Jonas and Queen Underwood of America — continue to show little interest in fighting Taylor when there are no medals on the line.
After all that, a pro move is very much back on the cards.
“It is a big decision to make and obviously I’d have to get a good contract as well.
“We’ll see. My dad’s going to make a few enquiries over the next few months.
There were a few offers before but I’m not sure. We’ll see what happens over the next few months.This year was a harder year for me with the European Championships being in a little tent, a really badly organised competition, and then all these promises again about the WSB. I’m definitely thinking about turning pro.
Olympic team-mates John Joe Nevin and Michael Conlan have both spoken openly about their desire to move into the professional game, with Nevin’s move looking even more likely after he skipped a world championship training camp in Castlebar last week.
“We’re all really frustrated with how boxing has been marketed over the last few years,” Taylor said.
“You see in these internationals in the [National] Stadium, there’s only a handful of people there and it’s like a secret, people don’t really know about these fights going on.
For Olympic medallists to be boxing in front of a crowd of maybe 100 people, it’s disappointing. It’s our most successful Olympic sport.
She added: “Right now I’m an amateur boxer and I’m only thinking about these fights coming up in the next few months.
“Obviously next year is a big year if I did stay amateur, with the Europeans and the Worlds, there’s a lot going on next year. We’ll see.”
She should turn pro. Make a stack of cash while she can. When that’s over become a pundit on RTE and make even more cash. God I wish I had talent!
Regardless of what Katie says, there is no money in pro boxing, or female boxing in general. “Pro” fights in America have regular attendances of less than 50 people with neither boxer getting paid, it’s a very murky world. While Irish people were very excited over her Olympic medal, the rest of the world simply don’t care about her or female boxing. Table tennis, Bowls etc are all much more popular in the world of sports. Ireland is a small country, her money is remaining in amateur, commentating on RTE, opening supermarkets etc.
“It was in a little tented area and there were only around 100 people there,” she said. “It was really badly done. A lot of the main boxers were even missing from the competition.”…If that’s what she experiences in Amateur boxing, it’s even worse on the professional circuit.
No money in pro boxing? Tell that to money mayweather who picked up 41.5 million last sat night. Highest recent purse for a female boxer was a million dollars with the loser pickin up 250 grand. Not bad for doin something she loves imo.
There is money on women’s boxing especially for Taylor as she can guarantee tv backing.
I have to agree that there isn’t the career she expects in pro boxing. Women’s pro boxing I doesn’t get the interest that men’s boxing .Katie can’t get fights now as most opponents are afraid to get in the ring with her. She is one hell of a boxer and could easily take in any Americans. I really don’t think that’s in doubt. She has plenty money in sponsorship and as Katie is a genuine person I do believe she just wants to fight. Although she has a point about the national stadium being empty I am not so sure it’s all down to marketing. Maybe moving some fights down the country would help ? Any events in UL are sold . Admittedly it’s mostly for Andy Lee but I do think there is the following around the country if it were feasible to move fights around the country. I can understand her frustration . It must be hard when she trains so hard not to get the fights she wants but I am sure going pro would solve that.
Sorry should have read not going pro would solve
Money Mayweather is the greatest of all time. What an unbelievable boxer! TMT.
@Paul White No money in female boxing, obviously Mayweather and the likes make money. There is NO money in pro female boxing
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2187213/Top-boxers-officials-lift-lid-grubby-sexist-women-s-professional-game-US-fighters-exploited-prize-money-doesn-t-cover-cost-air-fares-fighters-resort-posing-nude-mags.html
Outside Ireland nobody cares about Katie Taylor, outside Ireland nobody would watch her on TV. To be honest, regardless of Ireland being a small Ireland desperate for any sporting success, i doubt so many Irish people would pay to watch her on TV either.
Kev the last time she faught in the national stadium less than 200 people showed up to see her, most of them were the families of the fighters. Shes better off on RTE but then again I’m not sure she would have so many opportunities there either. The earlier poster was correct with regards to supermarket opening and maybe commercials in Ireland. She’s considered a God in Ireland, unlike the rest of the world so realistically an amateur in Ireland where her future is. Best of luck to her, she seems a lovely girl.
Angela the original xomment i replied to said there was no mobey in boxing. And like i said there was recently a purse for a million dollars, also if katie was with her interested party in golden boy,she would make a comfortable living.
Hi Paul. I may be wrong but I think the original poster meant female pro boxing and female boxing (amateur) in general. That offer from Golden Boy seems to have been off the cuff and with no genuine substance in it. However, I suspect Katie will make a comfortable living in Ireland through advertising and endorsement deals. Female boxing seems destined to continue to be a very dark, murky, unpopular lonely place compared to other professional sports. Sad considering the dedication and work ethic of Katie and others, but shes a great girl and will do well regardless I’m sure.
Hey ang have you been onto golden boy to confirn its off the cuff or did you get that ib the daily mail to? Up to a million dollars for a female fighters purse this year and with golden boy and endorsements she would be fine.
Why all the red thumbs for Paul Moore sadly he is probably speaking the truth. Lets face it if Mike Tyson was shadow boxing in the O2 more people would PAY than watch Katey. I suppose it reminds me of the numbers who go see womens GAA V , V, …Clare V Cork etc
A lot of Irish people follow events and not sports, so they get excited every 4 years when the Olympics/World Cup come a long, but don’t give a crap in the intervening years. People paid a fortune to go to London to watch the boxing, but don’t show up when it’s on over here. That goes for most sports, Shamrock Rovers had around 4,000 “fans” travel to London for the match against Spurs but attendances at home would rarely top that.
IE my funding has dried up and those cheques people were waving last year now look tempting.
Not true Maria … she’s not short of money with all the sponsorships she has. Katie Taylor just wants to compete. She stayed amateur because she’d have more fights than a pro. If she’s not getting the fights we’re letting her down.
” we’re letting her down”? Sorry, but who is letting her down? Not I.
sorry love what she has done for Ireland etc however her and her dad are so Moany ……….
She’s right… her profile has completely dipped since Ldn2012. I wish her the best of luck with everything… either pro or not
And how do we get tickets for November?
A boxing ring is no place for a woman
I’d like to see you get in one with Katie
Well in fairness I’d hardly get in the ring with a woman but if you like to see men commit violence against women maybe you should seek out some help.
Martin will you take a second just to read iver what you said there.
You said you would like to see me fight little Katie. Why would you like to see that? Do you also enjoy causing pain to animals?
Given she can go toe to toe with the men in training and given her skill and fitness I’d say it’d be you experiencing the pain.
Martin you claimed a boxing ring is no place for a woman. Ergo it must only be a place for men.
Based on this attitude yes I would like to see you in a ring with Katie where she can prove her worth by embarrasing you.
Logic is not your strong point.
No reason why she shouldnt,good head on her shoulders great coach and father behind her katie would be grand in pro game!
A boxer’s career is very short so she should make the most of it while she can. By turning pro she can truly cement her status as one of the greatest fighters to have graced the ring, she can make a stack of money to secure her financial future and then retire while still healthy.
The will be plenty of coaching/pundit/ambassador roles for her when she hangs up the gloves.
I feel sorry for her. She’s one of Ireland’s greatest sports stars. But the reality of it is, that aside from her the general public could not care less about women’s boxing.
Hope she do go pro ,,People need 2 see the skill that girl ,s got ,,Not that long ago the whole country was shouting there heads off over Katie,,She,s just world class ,What ever she does ,,Best of luck girl.
Are you drunk?
She seems like she is a bit of a whinger. Anyway, she will get her pretty little head knocked off her shoulders if she turns pro. Have you seen those Americans?
She should definitely go pro all the great boxers have went pro. It’s a whole different level at pro. She wouldn’t make money as a pro? That’s a joke of course she would. Oscar Dela Hoya wouldn’t of wanted to sign her if she couldn’t make money. She has a whole country behind her and sky sports plus she is well known in the UK and an Irish female boxer would be an easy sell to the American public. She could go pro and potentially end up as the greatest female boxer of all time or at least the most famous. Surely that is better than staying amateur and winning one more medal and never being a world champion.
Read more of her complaints and a lot are not really the IABAs fault. The cancelling of the European women’s tournament was a decision made at international level and had more to do with boxing calanders than anything else. Katie wants to fight in a WSB like tournament which would probably be a great happy medium amateur but with cash bonuses. The fact that the WSB is not open to women again is not in the hands do the IABA more the AIBA. De la Hoya does want her but there is no way she will make the money male boxers make. The profile of women’s boxing is just not high enough.
Seems like a lot of her beefs are with international bodies. I would agree with her on the headgear for women issue though. There is no real reason that it should be compulsory for women and not for men. You can still get broken noses concussions and arguably the headgear provides a bigger target too.
She says that marketing for fights is an issue with the IABA . Maybe so but like I said take the fights outside of Dublin and you will get numbers. Most people don’t know much about the differences between pro and amateur fights anyway so if there’s a big name like Katie you will get bums on seats.
Maybe she has a point with sponsorship that’s open to debate.
With Nevin probably going pro that would the high performance teams two medal winners gone so I hope she doesn’t go pro. Still she is what now 26? I suppose she has to make the most of the time she has left in the ring.
Anyone know why she never turned pro before?
She didn’t turn pro because she has her eyes set on the next Olympics plus she thought she would get more fights as an amateur. She also got so e lucrative sponsorship deals too .
All the Olympic medalists in boxing signed private contracts with the Irish Sports Council for €60,000 a year. Katie has this on top of her sponsorships. She’s definitely not broke.
She must want more exposure and more fights which is admirable. But just like almost every other Olympian or Olympic athlete learns… you only matter every four years, regardless of success levels.
It’s such a shame that she doesn’t have the platform to show off her talent on a regular basis. Relatively speaking, the Irish male boxers may only have a fraction of her talent but their prospects of making money and being big stars in the pro game are far greater. Women’s pro-boxing has very little profile. Laila Ali is the only pro I can ever even think of and that’s just because of who her daddy is.
Maybe she could retrain as an MMA fighter. Women’s MMA is on the up and has more structure and organisation than boxing. Ronda Rousey won an Olympic medal in Judo and made the switch to become one the pioneers of women’s MMA. It might be too late for Katie to do something like that though.