KATIE TAYLOR will be taking some time away from the ring “to attend to personal matters”, the WBC has revealed.
The 39-year-old had been ordered to defend her WBC super lightweight title in a trilogy bout against Chantelle Cameron.
Katie Taylor will be taking time away from boxingStephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Heated rival Chantelle Cameron will fight Sandy Ryan for the WBC super lightweight titleStephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
However, WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán revealed the Bray Bomber would be taking some time away from the ring.
She has been designation “Champion in Recess”.
The Champion in Recess designation allows the title to be vacated while granting the holder a special status and the possibility of returning to fight for the belt in the future.
As a result, interim champion Cameron will fight Sandy Ryan for the official belt, with a win leaving the potential for a trilogy on the cards.
Sulaiman said: “She let us know that she plans to take some time away from the ring to attend to personal matters.
“The fight she was obligated to take was against Chantelle Cameron; by naming her Champion in Recess, we will order Sandy Ryan to fight Cameron to ratify the WBC super lightweight world title.”
Taylor’s future has been up in the air since she completed the hat-trick of wins over Amanda Serrano back in July.
Speaking after the fight at Madison Square Garden, the undisputed super lightweight champion admitted she wasn’t sure if she would get back in the ring.
Indeed, Taylor has hinted on a number of occasions that a long desired bout at Croke Park was the only thing she had left to do in the ring.
Speaking ahead of Paddy Donovan vs Lewis Crocker at Windsor Park, Eddie Hearn revealed he was meeting the Wicklow woman the following Monday.
And the Matchroom Boxing boss said: “She said after the Serrano fight, ‘if I fight again’, and it’s the first time I’ve ever heard her say that.
“I thought after the fight, what a great time to retire, now a bit of time passes and I don’t know. I would say she’s 50-50 in her head.”
If she returns, Chantelle Cameron looks the most likely opponent for KT, so long as she has her hand raised against Sandy Ryan.
The Englishwoman is the only one to beat Taylor as a professional.
That loss came at the 3Arena in Dublin in May 2023 and was avenged that November to tie the series at a win apiece.
Cameron has been pushing for the third fight, but Hearn also threw in former UFC fighter Holly Holm as a potential adversary.
He said: “I think the Chantelle Cameron fight is a big fight.
“I believe Holly Holm is fighting for the world title against Stephanie Han later in the year.
“Holly Holm has got the kind of profile that would be a big fight.
“She’s definitely not going to fight again this year or early next year so in her head right now, she’s going to have Christmas and I don’t think she’ll make an actual decision this year because time will enable you to make a decision so give yourself time.”
As for the venue, once again Taylor has been linked with Croke Park.
Her team has tried to negotiate a deal for her to fight at GAAHQ twice before, only for both occasions to fall through.
Nakisa Bidarian, Jake Paul’s partner within Most Valuable Promotions, has offered to cover the expense involved in Croker to set up the trilogy with Cameron.
MVP promoted KT’s last two fights against Amanda Serrano.
And Hearn added: “He can fund it if he wants to.
“We’ve taken his money the last two times, it’s been absolutely beautiful. Katie’s made an absolute fortune.
“Chantelle will obviously try to go to Katie, but Katie has no fear of anyone.
“She beat Chantelle last time in a good fight. It’s a tough fight, no questions.”
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