Katie Taylor takes time away from boxing 'to attend to personal matters'

The Bray woman has been named 'Champion in Recess'. 

GLOVES OFF: Katie Taylor who is taking a break from the sport and has been named 'Champion in Recess'. Pic: Ayisha Collins/Getty Images for Netflix 

Katie Taylor has informed the WBC she plans to take some time away from boxing and has been named 'Champion in Recess' by the sanctioning body.

The Bray woman won her trilogy fight with Amanda Serrano in New York on July 11, retaining the WBC strap as well as the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring titles.

After that Madison Square Garden bout, the WBC announced the undisputed light-welterweight champion would next face mandatory challenger Chantelle Cameron in a title defence. 

That fight would have completed another trilogy; Taylor lost to Cameron by majority decision in May 2023 at Dublin's 3Arena before levelling affairs at the same venue six months later.

Cameron, who picked up the WBC interim title by beating Elhem Mekhaled in 2024 and has subsequently defended it twice, will now face Sandy Ryan in an all-English fight for the vacant belt instead.

"She let us know that she plans to take some time away from the ring to attend to personal matters," said WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán of Taylor's hiatus.

"The fight she was obligated to take was against Chantelle Cameron; by naming her Champion in Recess, we will order Sandy Ryan to fight Cameron to ratify the WBC super lightweight world title."

Taylor's future has been unclear, since the New York win over Serrano in July. Speaking after the Madison Square Garden fight, she admitted she wasn't sure if she would get back in the ring. 

"I don't know," Taylor said in July. "I’m just going to enjoy this victory right now, sit back and reflect and then I’ll make a decision."

Responding to questions last week in Belfast, Taylor's long-time promotor Eddie Hearn said he didn't believe she'd make a decision on her future until the new year.

The ‘Champion in Recess’ title is a special recognition granted to boxers “who have had an outstanding career and achieved elite status in the sport,” the WBC explained.

“It is not a regular championship title defended in the ring,” a statement reads, “but rather a lifetime honour given in specific situations, such as injuries, personal issues that will keep them away from the sport for a period, moving up in weight class.

“The Champion in Recess designation allows the title to be vacated so other fighters can compete for it and keep the division active, while granting the boxer a special status and the possibility of returning to fight for the belt in the future.”