Taylor cruises to victory over Petric

Olympic champion Katie Taylor cruised to victory in the 12-bout St John’s BC hosted card at Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork last night.

The world No. 1 ranked lightweight beat Croatian champion Marija Petric on a unanimous decision.

Taylor moved up through the gears and was catching the Croat cleanly with three and four-punch combinations by the end of the second round.

She even switched from her natural orthodox stance to southpaw in the third and dominated the fourth en route to having her hand raised in victory by referee Bob O’Driscoll.

“I’m delighted with the win and to get four rounds under my belt. It’s first bout of three and hopefully I can do well on Friday and Saturday,” said Taylor. She is back at the same venue tonight for a four-rounder with two-time Swiss champion Anais Kistler.

The Bray lightweight will round off a busy Bank Holiday weekend against Chicago schoolteacher Kristin Carlson at the Dungarvan Sports Centre in Waterford tomorrow evening.

The Munster triple-header is part of Taylor’s preparations for her European title defence in Bucharest.

The Europeans begin on May 31. The tournament is also a qualifier for the inaugural 2015 European Games in Baku.

Taylor, Ceire Smith, Michaela Walsh, Joanna Lambe and Clare Grace have been named in a five-strong Irish squad for Romania.

Taylor will be aiming for her sixth successive European gold in Bucharest. No other female boxer has held the European lightweight title since Taylor first won the 60kg top prize in Norway in 2005.