Taylor in the Irish squad

World and back-to-back European Lightweight Champion Katie Taylor has been included on an eleven strong Irish senior squad for a three day international training camp which begins at the National Stadium in Dublin today.

Squads from Ireland, Great Britain, Holland, Finland and Sweden will be involved in the first ever international training camp for women to be held in Ireland.

According to the Irish Amateur Boxing Associations Development Officer for women's boxing, Anja Norman, the training camp will be an ideal opportunity to measure the progress they have made over the last few years.

She said: "We are very aware of what Katie Taylor is capable of in international competition but this training camp will give the rest of the Irish squad the opportunity to measure themselves against the top nations.

"It gives us the opportunity to test our strengths and weaknesses and also to make contacts and exchange experiences.

"We will have some very serious sparring sessions over the next three days and we are all very much looking forward to this training camp."

Eva Walstrom-ranked in the top ten in Europe-who Katie Taylor beat at the National Stadium last February, will be with the Finnish team.

The Irish squad, who beat England 6-2 in Waterford last March, will be under coaches Peter Taylor and Pat Ryan at the National Stadium over the next three days.

Taylor believes the training camp will be ideal preparation the Witch Cup in Hungary next month, and the European Championships in Denmark in October.

Katie Taylor is due to defend the gold medal she won at last years Witch Cup next month and will be targeting her third European gold on the trot in Denmark.

Peter Taylor said: "All the nations taking part in this weeks training camp will be sending representatives to the Witch Cup and the European Championships so it will be very competitive at the National Stadium.

"There is a great variety of weights taking part in the training camp and it will be a tough test for us, but it is one that we are prepared for."

Meanwhile, Katie Taylor, from the St Fergal's club in Bray, who recorded a unanimous points win over Swiss boxer Sandra Brugger at the Bray Boxing Club last Sunday, is at number one in the world rankings, and at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings for the eight month running.

Irish squad for National Stadium Training Camp: Katie Taylor, Alanna Murphy, Marsha Halpin, Christina McMahon, Debbie Rogers, Kelly Harrington, Clara Fraher, Caroline Reilly, Carla Wright, Sinead Kavanagh, Ciara Noonan. (Invited boxers) Michelle Brady, Joanna Lawlor, Rebecca Brewer).