EVERYBODY loses, sooner or later. That, sadly, is one of the first lessons of amateur boxing. It makes Katie Taylorโs universally accepted status as the worldโs best female boxer all the more remarkable. As well as her Olympic gold medal, Taylor has won four consecutive World championship gold medals and the campaign for her fifth will begin when the womenโs World championships get underway in Jeju, Korea on Sunday (November 16).
A fifth gold medal would put Taylor level with Mary Komโs World championship tally (an injury means the Indian star wonโt be participating in this tournament herself) and so far the 28-year-old Taylor has shown no signs of slowing down.
The draw takes place on Sunday morning and the boxing begins that night (at approximately 10am UK time). Taylorโs Russian rival Sofia Ochigava is a perennial threat and, after scoring a key win over Franceโs Estelle Mossely, Chantelle Cameron could certainly do well for GB.
Valerian Spicer, from Islington ABC but representing boxing minnow Dominica at 60kgs, will be in the eye of the storm. Sheโs come close to boxing Taylor before. โShe asked for a bout a month ago so I was actually going to box her then,โ Spicer said. โIt fell through for some reason.
โSheโs brilliant, when I first started boxing I looked up to her and now I feel like I can compete with her.โ
With lightweight being one of only three Olympic weights, it will be one of the most fiercely contested divisions. Spicer boxed at the Commonwealth Games, where she fell just short of reaching the medal stages, and just like the other lightweights dreams of going to Rio 2016. โThatโs why Iโm still in it,โ Spicer continued. โAll the tournaments Iโll be doing over the next year and a half will be geared up to Rio.โ
She is though at a disadvantage against full-time athletes. Valerianโs had to fit her training in around work (sheโd been able to take time off for the Commonwealths). AIBAโs โRoad to Dreamโ programme for developing boxing nations brought her to Korea. โAfter the Commonwealths I had few weeks off to think about what I wanted to do and I decided to carry on,โ she said. โI donโt think I wanted to go out like that. Iโd just reached that level and I can compete at that level.
โGoing back to a full time job, itโs been really difficult trying to fit everything in again but I have done it. Iโve felt that Iโve been fitter than ever and this training camp has been brilliant. Itโs been really good final preparations.โ
A record number of 337 boxers from 74 countries are registered to attend. For the tournament preview and interviews with GB Boxers donโt miss this weekโs issue of Boxing News.
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How long can Katie Taylor stay number one?

John Dennen
Nov 15 2014