Katie Taylor will open the defence of her Olympic title today against former foe Mira Potkonen.

Katie Taylor insists her two recent losses have lifted pressure off her shoulders as she bids to retain her Olympic title in Rio.

OLYMPIC champion Katie Taylor has received a bye into the last 32 of the ninth World Women’s Elite Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Michael Conlan is backing his Irish teammate and fellow World champion Katie Taylor to rebound from yesterday’s stunning defeat to Azerbaijan’s Yana Alexseevna at the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey.