YOU couldn’t pay me enough money to get into a ring with a fighter five pounds heavier than me, never mind someone who had already beaten me.
But Katie Taylor has the heart of a lion. After losing her homecoming to Chantelle Cameron in May, Katie has agreed a rematch in Dublin’s 3 Arena on November 25.
Undisputed lightweight (130lbs) Queen Katie moved up to Chantelle’s weight of Super-lightweight (140lbs) for their Dublin showdown earlier this year and despite Chantelle wanting to come down to Katie’s weight for the rematch to try and claim her lightweight belts, Katie is once again moving up in weight to try and dethrone her undisputed super-lightweight opponent.
It’s crazy to think that Katie started out boxing by pretending to be a boy so that she could get fights across Ireland.
When I interviewed Michaela Walsh for UTV before she travelled to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she told me that she wanted to go to the boxing club with her brother Aidan when he started because she copied everything he did. But she was told that “girls don’t box” and wasn’t allowed to go.
Over the last decade there has been a huge shift in that attitude.
And I was so pleased to get an invite to the Midland Boxing Club in Belfast recently to see the provision made for female boxers.
Midland ABC is in the heart of the city’s Tiger’s Bay and is best known for producing two-weight World Champion Carl Frampton.
It has been a gym full of men, up until now. To celebrate it’s 50th anniversary next year the club has undergone a £700.000 makeover. Brand new female changing rooms and showers were one of the main priorities.
“We have had to turn away females up until this change,” admitted Midland club coach Cooper McClure. “We didn’t have any changing facilities for girls at all. There was a female toilet in the pensioners’ end of the building, but it meant walking through the boys’ changing areas and toilets and I would never ask a female to do that.
“We had lots of interest from girls over the years so now we can finally welcome them in.”
Participation and Engagement Officer for Ulster Boxing IABA, Louise Welsh, met up with me at the club to check out the new facilities.
“It’s amazing to see this,” she smiled. “We have seen a massive increase in participation levels for girls boxing over the last while and that has been down to the hard work put in by those on the ground over the last 10 years.
“We have a very popular schools programme where we go into schools and coach boxing and sometimes we are getting more girls than boys taking part now.
“Boxing clubs are now catering more for females, too, with the likes of sanitary products available. All those things helps make them feel included.“
Boxing is one of the best sports for fitness. Over lockdown I joined Paddy Barnes’ boxercise class on Zoom and I felt amazing after every session I did! I still might need convincing to get inside a ring with someone but for girls who want to be the next Katie Taylor, Amy Broadhurst, Michaela Walsh or Kelly Harrington, they now have a fighting chance.
Speaking of a fighting chance, Ireland have that in abundance heading to the Rugby World Cup this month.
I know were ranked the World number one team heading to the last World Cup in Japan but it feels different this time around as we hold the same position again.
I’ve been covering the Irish Rugby team for UTV since before the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. That time we were all convinced Ireland would ease past Wales in the quarter finals. In 2015 we were sure they would beat Argentina at the same stage and after beating New Zealand for the first time ever in the build up to Japan we all thought they would get past them on their quarter final in Tokyo.
Ireland have never reached the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup and if they are to do it this year they’ll most likely have to beat France or New Zealand to get there. That is a tall order considering the French are arguably favourites with the home advantage but in the past year Ireland have recorded a first series win in New Zealand, beaten the current World Champions South Africa, and defeated France in the Six Nations. They’ve also beaten their best ever record of consecutive home wins and, just before leaving for the World Cup, took that tally to 16 by cruising past England in their final home warm up game in Dublin.
As the tournament hype gets bigger and the expectations get stronger Ireland are embracing it all. “We have earned the right to be favourites and world number one,” Ulster and Ireland hooker Rob Herring told me.
“We are happy with the favourites tag and just can’t wait to get started.”
Having been down with the squad several times over the summer for media opportunities, it is clear to see it is a happy camp. Andy Farrell has done what every good coach wishes to do with a team, he has struck what appears to be the perfect balance between having respect and creating a fun environment.
If your players enjoy playing for you and each other they become the best version of themselves. With this in full force, Ireland look unstoppable. But we all know at the top level it’s all about the finest of margins… a drop kick, an injury, a refereeing decision. That’s why we love sport, we never know what’s going to happen but let’s hope we are all celebrating ‘Champions du Monde’ when Ireland return home from France.
Finally I would like to congratulate Galgorm Castle and Castletock for another hugely successful ISPS Handa World Invitational tournament as the last ever tournament of its format was held in August.
Running the men’s and ladies tours side by side with equal prize funds has been revolutionary for the sport and those involved have worked so hard at bringing world class golf to our doorstep.
I had the privilege of playing with former Irish Open Champion John Carlin from the USA in the pro-am and have to say he is so fun to be around and made me feel at ease despite the nerves of playing with such a talented professional.
He almost won the Irish Open last year at Mount Juliet and will be playing again at the K Club this September alongside Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and the rest. He loves our golf courses here and with his track record he’s definitely one to look out for at this year’s Horizon Irish Open.
