Determined Katie Taylor now just one step from Rio Olympics

Katie Taylor will book a ticket for Rio 2016 if she beats Mexico’s Victoria Torres this afternoon – and she could also qualify if she loses.

The Olympic champion joined Offaly welterweight Grainne Walsh and Dublin light-welter Kellie Harrington in the quarter-finals of the World Women’s Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan after recording her 27th win in 28 World outings since 2005, against Argentina’s Dayana Sanchez yesterday.

Taylor outclassed the Buenos Aires lightweight on a unanimous decision. One judge gave her two 10-8 rounds in a 40-35, 40-34, 40-35 verdict. Except for needing attention for a nose bleed for the second contest in a row in Astana, Taylor, detonating big shots at the end of most combinations, particularly in frames two and three, was rarely troubled.