Taylor to ponder her next move on holidays

Katie Taylor will meet with boxing promoters from America and England today, still torn between turning professional or trying for gold again at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro.

Speaking yesterday at a special reception at Farmleigh House for the Irish Olympic team, Katie’s father Peter said Katie and her family would meet the promoters today and would also speak with the Irish Sports Council before deciding on the future during an upcoming holiday.

The 26-year-old from Bray has already decided to continue boxing, despite Peter stating he would prefer if she quit the ring.

The Taylors will leave next Monday on a family holiday and Peter said: “When we go away for 10 days we are going to decide, or sit down and talk about Katie’s future while we’re over there and see what we are going to do.”

The promoters are from both the US and England although Peter Taylor said: “We will see where that leads to. There is nothing concrete yet. Obviously we are going to sit down and speak to the Sports Council who have been so good to us over the last few years before female boxing was even in the Olympics. We’re not just going to walk away from them like that. We’re obviously going to speak to them.

“There are a lot of things to consider, it’s not about money, it’s about challenges and the structures that are going to be put around us all as well, you know?”

Following the huge homecoming in Bray last Monday, Katie was among a large contingent from the Irish team which was greeted by a crowd of about 5,000 in Dublin city centre yesterday.

Following that event the team was taken by bus to Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park, where Taoiseach Enda Kenny thanked all those who competed and their families, saying: “We are so proud of what you have done.”

The focus will now turn to whether Katie sticks with amateur boxing, or turns professional.

“We are in talks tomorrow so we will see where that leads.”

He added the family would not rush the decision.

Mr Kenny also said that while there would be calls for more funding to properly arm our top athletes compete, sport was not just about money.

On that subject, Peter Taylor added: “It is about ability but you also need money to be able to sustain an athlete’s lifestyle.

“The funding has to keep coming and like the lads say, the coaching staff has to stay within boxing as well so it is a little bit about money as well.”