BOXINGIRELAND TEAM manager Anna Moore believes women's boxing wouldn't even be an Olympic sport only for Katie Taylor.

Ireland’s three-strong team fly out to China this morning ahead of the seventh AIBA World Women’s Championships and only Olympic qualifier for female boxers.

Ceire Smith, Katie Taylor and Sinead Kavanagh will represent Ireland in the three Olympic weight categories of flyweight, lightweight and middleweight.

The women’s world championships, which officially begin at the Olympic Stadium in Qinhuangdao on May 9th, will wrap up the entire Olympic qualification process for AIBA.

The only Olympic places available for boxers after China will be via the Tripartite Commission, which hands out invitation berths.

Taylor, who is aiming for her fourth world title in-a-row in Qinhuangdao, is no stranger to finishing on top place in China.

In 2008, she secured her second world title in Ningbo City after beating China’s Cheng Dong, who she beat in the 2012 final in Barbados, four years after she won her first world title in India.

The last time the Bray woman was beaten at World Championships level was in Russia in September, 2005 after she dropped a points decision to Kang Kum Hui of North Korea.

Moore, of the St Francis club in Limerick, said that they will be keeping their fingers crossed for a favourable draw in China for the Irish trio.

“The girls have worked very hard for the World Championships and Olympic qualifiers. They’ve put in a lot of work and hopefully we get a good draw. It’s all in the draw, said Moore.

“Katie Taylor is a fantastic ambassador for the sport and I believe that only for her women’s boxing wouldn’t even be an Olympic sport.

“In my heart I believe that the London Olympics needs Katie Taylor.

“She’s a born athlete, a natural athlete and if everything goes according to plan I believe that there will be no fear for Katie Taylor.”

Taylor, 25, who has has won 125 bouts from 132 outings in her career since November 2011, will be seeded number one in the lightweight class in China.

The AIBA seeding commission will review all rankings and approve the seeding immediately after the general weigh-in and before the official draw on May 11th. Boxing begins on May 12th in Qinhuangdao.

At home, the Girls National Championships conclude at Dublin’s National Stadium on Friday night. Boxing begins at 6pm.