Versatile Katie Taylor too good for Jelina Jelic
The Olympic champion beat Serbian lightweight Jelina Jelic on a 16-bout Kanturk Boxing Club-hosted promotion, winning by unanimous decision.
The Bray orthodox, boxing well within herself, comfortably took the opening two rounds against the 2015 European Games quarter-finalist.
Taylor changed tactics slightly in the final two frames, switching occasionally to southpaw and boxing off the back foot en route to a dominant win.
“I’m delighted with the result, delighted to get another win,” said the AIBA World No. 1 after her first victory of 2016.
“I would like to thank Jelina for taking the fight and everyone for their fantastic support in Cork tonight. It’s a big year ahead in international competition.”
Meantime, Taylor will meet ex-Pan American and USA champion Queen Underwood in her second fight of the weekend on a Tralee BC-hosted show at the Mount Brandon Hotel in Kerry tonight.
The bout is a repeat of the 2010 World Elite semi-final which Taylor won en route to claiming her third successive world gold in Barbados.
This is Seattle-native Underwood’s last amateur fight before turning pro.
Taylor is building up toward April’s Olympic qualifiers for men and women in Samsun, Turkey. Team Ireland will sent a team to the 67th Strandja multi-nations in Sofia, Bulgaria on Monday.
Current European Games champion Michael O’Reilly is included in the Irish squad, along with former European elite champion Ray Moylette. More than nations have entered.
Irish interim head coach Zaur Antia will take charge of an Irish elite squad for the first time in Sofia.
