Rising to the Top: Katie Taylor's
Journey on Anthony Joshua's Undercards
Katie Taylor's meteoric rise in
professional boxing is a testament to her unparalleled talent
and determination. The Irish sensation has arguably been the
most important figure in women's boxing over the last decade, at
least if Eddie Hearn is to be believed. He stated on an episode
of the popular "The Overlap" podcast that KT was almost solely
responsible for getting women's boxing into the Olympic games.
Since then, she has gone on to become a two-weight undisputed
champion.
But much of her rise wouldn't have been possible without the
support of heavyweight behemoth Anthony Joshua. The former
unified champion has featured Taylor on his undercard on no
fewer than four occasions, and those impressive displays were
crucial in her becoming the star she is today. But who did she
fight on those illustrious pay-per-view cards, and what role did
they play in her rise to stardom?
The Early Steps: Taylor vs. Viviane Obenauf
Nowadays, Katie Taylor headlines her shows, while Anthony Joshua
is attempting to gatecrash the world heavyweight championship
once more. In his next clash, he will face off against fellow
Brit Daniel Dubois at a sold-out Wembley Stadium for the vacant
IBF title. The latest
Joshua vs. Dubois betting odds make AJ a
huge 1/5 favourite for that clash, and victory will surely see
him face off against the winner of Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury
II in December.
Taylor meanwhile, has a clash of her own on the cards in the
form of a huge rematch with fellow icon Amanda Serrano. The
latest
boxing odds make KT a narrow 4/7 favourite to repeat the
victory she secured in Madison Square Garden back in April 2022.
That initial contest won the prestigious Ring Magazine's Event
of the Year award, but it was only possible with her maiden
clash on an AJ undercard against Viviane Obenauf.
That first foray onto the global stage came back in December
2016, on the undercard of Joshua vs Eric Molina. The contest was
only her second professional fight following a glittering
amateur career, yet it demonstrated her potential and prowess,
securing a wide unanimous decision victory.
Proving Ground: Taylor vs. Nina Meinke
Her next notable appearance came a year later as a support act
on the blockbuster
Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko card at
Wembley Stadium. This time around she faced off against Nina
Meinke, representing a significant step-up in quality, a step
that Taylor was primed and ready for. She claimed a
seventh-round stoppage victory and earned her first-ever
professional gold in the form of the WBA Inter-Continental
lightweight title.
Claiming the Crown: Taylor vs. Anahí Ester Sánchez
Continuing her momentum, Taylor fought Anahí Ester Sánchez in
October 2017, on the Joshua vs Takam undercard at a raucous
Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The bout was the Irish star's
first opportunity to claim a world championship, and she grabbed
the opportunity with both hands. She put on a masterclass to
secure a unanimous decision victory, sealing the WBA lightweight
championship in the process.
The Undisputed Challenge: Taylor vs. Delfine Persoon
One of the most defining moments in Taylor's career came during
the Joshua vs Ruiz I undercard in June 2019, where she faced
Delfine Persoon at Madison Square Garden. Victory against the
Belgian star would have made her the undisputed champion, having
already secured the WBA, IBF, and WBO, while looking to add the
WBC strap to her collection.
After
a thrilling battle of contrasting styles - namely Irish
technicality vs Belgian brute force - Taylor walked away from
the city via a hotly contested razor-thin majority decision. She
would later leave no doubts as she would rematch Persoon 14
months later and win in a much more convincing fashion.
