Euro golden girl Taylor sets course for Rotterdam

KATIE TAYLOR claimed her fourth European Union lightweight title on the trot in Katowice, Poland on Saturday following a 25-9 verdict over Poland’s Karolina Graczyk.

The Bray woman also scooped the boxer of the tournament award in Poland, while her Irish team-mates Lauragh O’Neill and Laoise Traynor both won bronze.

Taylor’s next step will be the European Championships in Rotterdam — where she’ll be aiming for an unprecedented five-in-a-row — next October.

The focus will then begin to switch toward the big one — the 2012 AIBA World Championships and the only Olympic qualifier for female boxers in Chongqing, China next April.

“The European Championships is definitely the big one for me this year. The Europeans have been my target all along for this year and hopefully I will do well in Rotterdam,” she said.

“The focus will then switch toward the World Championships and Olympic qualifiers next year. Qualifying for the Olympics is my ultimate goal and the next World Championships will be the biggest tournament of my life.

“I won gold at the World Championships in China a few years ago and the judging was very fair and I’m confident that the judging will be the same for the next World Championships and Olympic qualifiers there.”

Meanwhile, Cavan lightweight Andy Murray lost his tilt for the vacant European title and suffered the first defeat of his pro career in 25 outings to Wales’ Gavin Rees in Cardiff on Saturday night.

Rees, a former world champ, dominated the first six rounds, but struggled in the latter frames when Murray dispensed with his one shot tactics and began to throw combinations.

However, the ex-Irish Elite champ couldn’t claw back the points deficit and a rattled-looking Rees survived the late onslaught to claim a unanimous points win (115-112, 115-112,116-112).

If Murray had won on Saturday, he would have matched the great John Caldwell’s record of 25 victories on the trot, the longest unbeaten run by an Irish pro fighter.

Belfast bantamweight Caldwell, who claimed bronze for Ireland at the 1956 Olympics, hammered out 25 successive victories between 1958 and 1961.

“I finished strong but he kept holding on and on in the last few rounds. He showed his experience in the last few rounds of the fight. He’s a clever old pro, there’s no doubt about that,” said Murray.

“Obviously, when you challenge for a European title and you don’t come away with it, you are going to be disappointed. I finished strong, but it was all hold, hold, hold from him. He stayed close to me and didn’t let me box.

“He showed that he’s been around in those last few rounds that’s for sure.”

Carl Frampton, like Murray an ex-Irish Elite champ, retained his Celtic super-bantamweight title in a cracking contest with Robbie Turley of Wales on Saturday’s undercard.

Frampton, who fights out of Barry’s McGuigan’s stable, earned a unanimous decision to stretch his unbeaten run to 10. Pro debutant Eamon O’Kane also won. O’Kane, who claimed gold for Northern Ireland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and bronze for Ireland at the 2008 European Championships, stopped Lithuanian Dmitrijus Kalinovski in the first round.