Boxing:Katie Taylor will fly to Yerevan in Armenia to collect International Boxing Association (AIBA) female World Boxer of the Year award. Tyrone's Michael Gallagher will collect the best world referee and judge awards at the same function.
The awards ceremony will take place after the World Youth finals — which are being held in Yerevan — where Antrim’s Kurt Walker guaranteed himself at least bronze after reaching tomorrow’s semi-finals. The Canal BC flyweight will be seeking to upgrade to at least silver when he meets England’s Oliver Reeece-Simpson (Kelly’s ABC Yorkshire) for the place in Friday’s 52kg final.
Cuba’s Jorge Luis Cordero-Parlay and Jeyvier Cintron Ocasio of Puerto Rico clash in the other semi-final. “It would be fantastic if Kurt Walker won gold, said Taylor, who had the queues stretching out the door when she signed copies of her book My Olympic Dream at O’Mahony’s bookstore in Limerick.
“It is a proud moment for me to win the AIBA award again. I won it twice in the past and it is always nice to win something three times. That’s really special. It has been a fantastic year for me all round.”
Taylor’s coach and dad, Pete Taylor, will accompany his daughter to Yerevan. The Irish coach again indicated that American lightweight Queen Underwood would be Taylor’s next opponent. Katie due to have her first fight since her 2012 Olympic final at the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin on Sunday, February 24th.