It may not have been the ExCel Arena in London or an Olympic Games final but the National Stadium and 2,000 fans sang to the tune of Katie Taylor.
Last night in front of a full house, the 26-year-old arrived to where it all began for her in 2001 against Elanna Murphy.
In her first fight back since winning the gold medal in the London Olympics, Taylor enthralled. The Bray lightweight, in the first of two fights over a busy weekend, faced Karolina Graczyk from Poland in a support bout at the Elite Championship final. Taylor added star quality and pizzaz. Ever the unwilling queen, the European, World and Olympic Champion duly delivered a win. How else could it have ended.
Taylor’s left jab started immediately against Graczyk, who countered smartly in the opening passages. Soon enough though the combinations came on stream. Taylor, after two minutes, was 9-2 ahead. From that two minute burst there was no way back for the Pole.
“It’s probably the longest layoff Ive had since I started boxing,” admitted the 26-year-old. “I only took a few weeks off after the Olympics and I’ve been back training for quite a while now.”
“Boxing in front of a home crowd is always so special and after all the support I’ve received since the Olympics I want to repay that by putting in some big performances in these fights.”
At the end of the second round Taylor was 17-3 up and her hand speed and power forced two standing counts in the third round. It was 23-5 after round three and finally a punishing fourth for Graczyk ended 28-5.
Taylor takes to the ring in the Bord Gáis Theatre tomorrow against German Champion, Maike Klueners.
