(APR 30) Katie Taylor duly
won her 5th Professional bout and her first Pro strap, the WBA
Inter-Continental belt, with a comprehensive defeat of gutsy
German Nina Meinke at the iconic Wembley Stadium home of English
football, on Saturday night.
The fight was on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua/Wladimir
Klitschko IBF World heavyweight title decider, won by Joshua.
Taylor was on top from the outset so it was no great surprise
when the referee halted the contest during the seventh of the
scheduled ten rounder to save Meinke from further punishment,
following an accidental clash of heads.
The Irish woman had been on top since the opening bell against
Meinke, from Spandau near Berlin, who reached the quarter-final
stage of the 2014 AIBA World Championships in Jeju, South Korea
where incidentally Taylor struck Gold in the 60kg Lightweight
event.
The fight doubled as an eliminator for the WBA world lightweight
title held by Uruguayan Cecilia Comunales whom the Taylor camp
will now try and entice across the Atlantic and defend her world
crown in Dublin later this year.
Taylor’s Manager Brian Peters and Promoter Eddie Hearn of
Matchroom are though keen for the Bray woman to have one or
possibly two fights in the United States this Summer, with
Chicago and New York both suggested as cities keen to seen
Taylor in action.
Of Saturday’s contest, the 2012 Olympic Gold medallist
proclaimed: "It's incredible to be fighting in the biggest show
in British boxing history," said Taylor later. "I thought the
pace of the fight was good. I haven't felt as nervous since the
Olympics."
She felt she could do better but then as she agreed herself
“‘I’m always a bit critical and I thought it was a bit scrappy
at times”
I was expecting a tough fight, but I’m absolutely delighted.
These are the moments I dream of.
‘This weight is perfect for me, I feel very strong and good at
this weight.
‘I think I’m ready right now to box for a world title, but we
leave that to the likes of Eddie (Hearn) and I’ll just keep
focusing on my job. The best is yet to come – I didn’t perform
to my best tonight but the most important thing is I won.’