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Katie Taylor Part Two: Undisputed

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Katie Taylor  Katie Taylor travelled to America for the second time in her professional career, where she defended her WBA belt for the second time against IBF lightweight title holder Victoria Noelia Bustos on 28th April 2018. The Argentine was also making the second defence of the title she won in July 2017. Taylor put on a sublime performance for the New York fans at the Barclays Center, winning the ten-round bout 99-91 on two cards, with judge Tony Paolillo scoring it 98-92 for the Irishwoman. Three months later, the unified champion returned to London and faced America’s Kimberly Connor-Hamby on the undercard of Dillian Whyte versus Joseph Parker at the O2 Arena. Taylor improved her record to 10-0 (5 KOs), winning by a third-round technical knockout. On 28 October 2018 at Boston’s TD Garden, Taylor successfully defended her titles against Cindy Serrano, elder sister of Amanda Serrano. Serrano, who had opened her professional career with a 16‑fight unbeaten streak, came into th...
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Katie Taylor Part One: Trendsetter

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 Katie Taylor  Not many boxers, if any, get to leave boxing on their own terms the way Katie Taylor did in front of 83,000 fans at Dublin’s Croke Park, when she outpointed France's Flora Pili 98-91, and two cards of 100-90 to win the vacant WBC lightweight title and retire as a three-time undisputed champion. It was an emotional and historic night, a far cry from her ten-year-old self, who had to dress up as a boy to compete in a boxing match. Born on 2nd July 1986 to parents Peter and Bridget, Katie was the youngest of siblings Sarah, Lee and Peter. They grew up in a tight-knit family in a small house in the working-class area of Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. The community at the time faced socioeconomic challenges which included a heroin epidemic during the late 1980s and 1990s. Despite this, her parents encouraged their children to get heavily involved in sports, which sheltered them from trouble and established a deep love for athletics. Taylor excelled in a wide ran...
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Big Frank Part Six: Fear & Loathing In Vegas and Essex

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 Frank Bruno Unknown to anyone else, apart from Frank Bruno and his trainer, George Francis, Bruno would enter his rematch against Mike Tyson with only one good eye. Oliver McCall caught Bruno in the opening round of his title-winning fight with a punch to his right eye, scratching his eyeball. Bruno knew something was wrong straight away and it would not stop flickering. It went on for months and it was still giving him grief when he travelled to Las Vegas. Bruno refused to see a doctor about his problem - he knew the diagnosis would mean the end of his career and the opportunity of a $6 million payday. Bruno prepared for his lucrative rematch at the World Gym for weeks, but the buildup was a messy affair. Team Tyson was doing its utmost to unsettle the WBC champion. Steve ‘Crocodile’ Fitch and other members of Tyson’s entourage were getting in Bruno’s face - they were even there when Bruno was going on his early morning runs. The mood was more aggressive than normal and the p...
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