Taylor confirms superiority over Ukrainian

Katie Taylor recorded her third straight victory over Ukrainian Yulia Tsiplakova at Bórd Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin last night.

The Bray woman, who beat the Ukrainian twice at Dublin’s National Stadium in March, 2010, earned a unanimous decision over four, two minute rounds.

“I’m happy with the win, it’s always nice to keep winning and I would like to thank Yulia for the fight and everyone for such a great show of support here,” said the Olympic lightweight champion.

Kilkenny southpaw Darren O’Neill, who captained the Irish team at London 2012, was also in action against 2008 EU champion Roy Sheehan in a battle of the ex Irish Elite champions. O’Neill, a silver medallist at the 2010 European Championships, got the nod from the judges on a majority decision following hard-punching rounds in the 75kg class.

Taylor’s Bray BC team-mate Laoise Traynor was in against Poland’s AIBA 2012 World silver medallist Magdalena Stelmach and lost out on a unanimous decision to the AIBA top-ten ranked light-welter.

Taylor, who has now won 135 of her 142 fights since 2001, will be back in action against Bulgaria’s Denista Eliseeva, who was at ringside last night, at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar tomorrow evening.

Meantime, the Ireland v France international scheduled for Belfast on May 5 has been cancelled. Taylor and the Irish Men’s Elite team were due to meet the French in Cork and Belfast on May 3 and 5.

But the Belfast leg of that double-header has now been shelved, promoters Platinum 1 announced yesterday. Both countries clash in Millstreet, Cork on May 3 as planned.