Boxing
Katie Taylor to defend undisputed lightweight title against Miriam Gutierrez on Nov. 14
Katie Taylor will be making a quick return to the ring when the undisputed lightweight champion puts her titles on the line against Miriam Gutierrez on Nov. 14, live on DAZN in the U.S and Sky Sports in the U.K.
Taylor, along with WBC/IBO super featherweight champion Terri Harper and Rachel Ball, will headline the first women's world title tripleheader card.
Taylor is coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision victory in her rematch with Delfine Persoon on the final weekend of Matchroom Boxing's "Fight Camp" in August. Initially, the Irishwoman was penciled in to face the winner of Cecilia Brækhus vs. Jessica McCaskill. With Brækhus losing a narrow decision and then exercising her rematch clause, that fight will have to wait.
The champ is clearly uninterested in waiting and will instead get right back in the ring for a title defense.
"It's been a pretty quick turnaround from my last fight but I'm always looking towards the next challenge and I really wanted to fight again before the end of the year," Taylor (16-0, six KOs) said. "The (COVID-19) pandemic has obviously made it a very uncertain time in terms of scheduling fights so I'm really excited to have a date to focus on.
"I'm expecting a very tough fight against an undefeated challenger, but I've been back in training camp in the U.S. for the past couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to successfully defending my titles on Nov. 14."
Also on the card will be Harper (10-0-1, five KOs) defending her titles against WBC mandatory opponent Katharina Thanderz (13-0, two KOs). Thanderz is the interim WBC champion after defeating Danila Ramos last November.
The third title fight will be for the vacant WBA bantamweight championship, with Ball (6-1) facing Ebanie Bridges (4-0, two KOs).
"This a historic moment," said Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. "A huge night of boxing that will be headlined by not one but three women’s world title fights. Katie Taylor has spun the game on its head since she turned pro and has paved the way for so many great female fighters. Katie faces the second mandatory challenger during her undisputed reign in tough undefeated Spaniard Miriam Gutierrez.
“While fresh off a Fight of the Year contender at Fight Camp, Terri Harper faces her first mandatory challenger in undefeated Spanish-Norwegian Katharina Thanderz, and in a fairy tale story Rachel Ball has a chance to become world champion against popular Aussie Ebanie Bridges. This is a major statement from us and our broadcast partners; don’t miss an incredible night on Nov. 14."
