Katie Taylor outpoints stubborn Firuza Sharipova to remain undisputed lightweight champion

Katie Taylor retained her four lightweight titles on Saturday night, beating Firuza Sharipova via unanimous decision.

After 10 rounds of boxing at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, the scorecards read 98-92, 97-92, 96-93 in favour of the Irishwoman, who remains undefeated at 20-0.

Eyeing a monumental meeting with featherweight queen Amanda Serrano, there was no room for error for Taylor as she took on an opponent who had previously lost just once – in her professional debut in 2016.

The women traded jabs early on, with Sharipova targeting the body. The Kazakhstani looked to add some overhand rights up top, but she was punished with a wide left hook, then a slick trio of punches from Taylor.

In the second round, Taylor started well by landing a series of solid combinations, backing up her 27-year-old opponent. Sharipova fired back with a stiff jab and strong right straight, but Taylor’s superior hand and foot speed became clear as the 35-year-old landed hooks to the head then body off opposite sides.

Taylor remained on the front foot until the end of the round, while the third frame saw her preferring to let Sharipova come forward, before countering her challenger with a harsh left hook to the body and stinging right straight to the head.

Taylor looked to be growing in confidence in the fourth round, with a frustrated Sharipova clinching with increasing frequency as she looked to wear down the champion. The Kazakhstani began to sport damage to the right side of her face but produced her best spell in the fifth round, landing numerous uppercuts and hooks in the clinch.

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Taylor rallied at the end of the round, however, and Sharipova’s frustration seeped into the sixth, when she was docked a point for punching the Irishwoman off the referee’s break.

Sharipova only became more fired up but was suffering at range. As she looked to close it, she was punished by Taylor for linear, somewhat naive entries.

The gutsy challenger continued to try to make things rough in the eighth and ninth rounds, but Taylor navigated those frames safely.

The champion was forced to stay sharp in the final round as Sharipova burst forward with a flurry of punches, and Taylor did well to maintain her slick head movement – especially as the Kazakhstani looked to pour on pressure up close. Taylor even landed some more fierce counters until the final bell sounded.

“She definitely wasn’t tougher than expected, we were well aware of the challenge,” Taylor said of Sharipova after being announced as the winner – and still undisputed lightweight champion.

“We were prepared for a tough fight. She was very scrappy inside, it was hard to get [punches] off.

“Still undisputed, still undefeated, so I can’t complain.”

The former Olympic, world and European amateur champion also acknowledged a possible showdown with Serrano, who fights next weekend, as “the biggest fight in female boxing”.

The victory capped off a fine 2021 for Taylor, who has also beaten Natasha Jonas and Jennifer Han this year.