Taylor keeps title charge on track

IRELAND’S Katie Taylor kept her title defence on track and guaranteed a bronze medal when she breezed through her lightweight quarter-final at the 5th AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Ningbo City, China, yesterday.

After struggling to beat Danusa Dilhofova (Czech Republic) in a controversial last 16 contest on Tuesday, the world champion left nothing to chance with a quick victory over Argentinian national champion and two-times World Championship quarter-finalist, Peralta Celeste.

Taylor now meets Russian Ayzznat Gadzhieva in tomorrow’s semi-finals.

The other quarter-final winners were Cheng Dong (China) and Cindy Orain (France).

Taylor made a vicious two-fisted early attack and forced Celeste to take two standing counts in the first round before the referee ended the contest.

Obviously the 22-year-old Bray woman was delighted with her performance. “I felt very sharp in there, my timing was good and everything flowed for me,” she said. “She was a very tall opponent and I was expecting a tougher fight. I’m delighted with the win and I will now build myself up for my next challenge.”

“That’s the Katie we know,” her father and coach, Peter Taylor, said: “She had a much better rhythm and she was allowed to box. Peralta Celeste came to box and that made for a much better bout for everyone, including Katie, who looked great today.”

The victory maintains the Irish Amateur Boxing Association’s remarkable sequence of having won medals at every international tournament entered this year — the Olympics Games, the World Youth Championships, the European Championships, the European Union Championships (men’s and women’s) — and now the Women’s World Championships.

A total of 17 countries are represented in the semi-finals, with Russia (5), India, Turkey and USA (4) leading the charge and Canada, North Korea, Philippines, Romania and Sweden with three qualified boxers. France and Hungary have two boxers each in the semi-finals while England, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Poland and Ukraine have one each.

Meanwhile Darren Sutherland’s trainer Brian Lawrence is bombarding Frank Maloney with phone calls.

Lawrence has been so impressed with the gym form of Ireland’s Olympic bronze medallist he can’t resist telling the world about his stable star.

Sutherland makes his eagerly awaited professional debut at Dublin City University on Thursday, December 18 when he boxes a six-round super-middleweight fight.

Darren’s promoter Frank Maloney said: “Brian calls me all the time telling me how good Darren is — even late at night. The calls would drive most people mad but at least I can sleep because I know I’ve invested wisely.

“Most of the British Olympic team will be revealing their futures in next week, but I am not interested in any of them.

“I am not a betting man, but I am convinced that Darren will go further than any of them.”

Lawrence added: “I have worked with a lot of fighters and Darren has the potential to be the best of the lot.

“When he spars, things in the gym stop. Darren can fight, has amazing balance and can punch very, very hard.

“Frank has unearthed a special talent without doubt and Darren will become my masterpiece.”

Darren’s debut will be televised live by Sky Sports, who will follow his route, hopefully to the top.

Top of the bill in Dublin is Rendall Munroe’s (16-1) European super-bantamweight title defence against Italy’s Fabricio Trotta (13-4-2) in a quality 12 rounder.

The Irish light-middleweight champion Jamie Moore (30-3) boxes a six rounder ahead of his crack at the European light-middleweight title early next year.

London-based Irishman Martin Power (19-3), the former British bantamweight champion, faces a tough test against Gary Davies (7-2-1).

Craig Watson (13-2) defends his Commonwealth welterweight title against Adnan Amar (22-1), a protege of Dubliner Brendan Ingle.

A third title bout on the bill sees Jason Booth (30-5) risk his Commonwealth bantamweight crown against Sean Hughes (15-7-1).