Weight battles over for Katie Taylor

To say a fighter is ‘hungry’ may be an old boxing cliché, but in Katie Taylor’s case it seems like – purely in a literal sense – she no longer has the appetite she used to.

That is not to question the motivation of the former Olympic champion ahead of her pro debut in London’s Wembley Arena tomorrow. More so, it is a paradoxical attempt to point out that the 30-year-old is actually reinvigorated in more ways than one.

While so much attention has been paid to how Taylor’s joy for boxing has been given a boost thanks to her taking on a new challenge in the paid game – following the lows of Rio, and 2016 in general – few have noted that the change should also provide significant physical advantages.