Maxboxing 2021 Female Fighter of the Year: Katie Taylor

At a perfect 20-0 (6 KO’s), and coming off a year that saw her defend her collection of belts 3 times, Bray, Ireland’s Katie Taylor has been selected as MaxBoxing’s “Female Fighter of the Year”.

Taylor, who won gold at the 2012 London Olympics, turned pro in 2016 and was a world champion by her 7th fight when she beat Anahi Sanchez to capture the WBA word lightweight title. Since then, she has been hoovering up world titles at a steady, and impressive, pace.

Just 2 months after her title win, she made a successful defence of her belt. She then added the IBF title 4 months later. Taylor then made 3 defences of her IBF and WBA titles in a 5-month span in 2018, before adding the WBC title to the collection.

In her first bout of 2019, she beat Brazil’s undefeated Rose Volante to pick up the WBO title. In her very next fight, in June, she beat 43-1 Delfine Persoon of Belgium to capture the WBC lightweight belt in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Her last fight of 2019, saw her make a title defense of the WBO lightweight title.

Since 2020, Taylor has made 5 successful title defences, (3 in 2021), of her unified lightweight belts over the last 2 years, not too bad considering what havoc the world health pandemic did to live boxing events.

2021 saw Taylor defend against Natasha Jones, in Manchester in May. Jones had been held to a SD draw in her previous fight for the world super featherweight title against undefeated Terri Harper. She then defended against Texan Jennifer Han, in September, a long reigning IBF world super featherweight champion. Then, she made her final title defense of 2021, just last month, beating Firuza Sharapova who, after losing a decision in her pro debut, had gone 13-0 before meeting Taylor.

While Taylor is a huge star near home, fighting most of her bouts in the United Kingdom, she isn’t afraid to hit the road having fought in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

Just over 5 years as a professional, 20-0, 14 of her 20 fights have been world title fights, 4 world titles - impressive stuff!

Taylor has some great options going forward. With possible bouts against stars like Amanda Serrano and Mikaela Mayer being discussed; fight fans might be in store for some great action. Here’s hoping.

Katie Taylor, congratulations on being selected as MaxBoxing’s “Female Fighter of the Year”.