Boxing
Katie Taylor on Jake Paul: 'He's obviously beneficial for me and my career'
Watch Taylor vs. Sharipova worldwide on DAZN
One of the premier fights boxing fans want to see in 2022 is current undisputed women's lightweight champion Katie Taylor and the unified women's featherweight titlist and former seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano.
It appeared the fight would occur in 2020, but the COVID-19 global pandemic and other factors prevented it from crossing the finish line. But, by the looks of things, it will get into the end zone if Taylor handles her end on Saturday against mandatory challenger Firuza Sharipova and if Serrano can handle her business one week later against Miriam Gutiérrez.
The reason the possibility is better now than in 2020? Jake Paul. You read correctly. Paul runs his own promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions, and signed Serrano earlier in the fall. Paul is an advocate of women's boxing and has been in discussions with Taylor's promoter at Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn, to make it a reality. Despite her reservations when it comes to who Paul is stepping inside the ring with, Taylor understands the value the social media influencer-turned-boxer provides.
"I guess he is bringing a new audience to the sport, and if even seven or eight of those people that are watching Jake Paul become boxing fans, I guess it's worth it for even for that," Taylor told DAZN News. "But I understand that he's in a position where he's going to make the Amanda Serrano fight happen. For me, I love it. It's obviously beneficial for me as well him being involved in the sport, so I can't criticize them. He is stepping in the ring and getting paid well, so he is a good businessman. I understand why people have a problem with him. He is definitely picking and choosing these fights as well, people will say. For me, he's obviously beneficial for me and my career, so he is willing to step in and get punched in the face (laughs). All power to him."
It would be easy for Taylor to look past the unknown Sharipova because the Kazakhstani has faced no one of significance leading into Saturday's contest. Regardless, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist knows she can't do that. Taylor saw what happened two weeks ago when George Kambosos Jr. upset Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis had a more challenging time than expected with Isaac Cruz on Sunday. As a result, she's keenly aware of what's at stake and isn't letting the outside noise come at her.
"I don't find it difficult at all because I understand the challenge that's ahead of me," Taylor said. "I know that I can't overlook anybody. You have seen even over the last few weeks or months when somebody overlooks someone. You see Lopez against Kambosos, for example, and what happened there. You see other fighters who are overlooking mandatories. It's a dangerous spot to be in when you actually overlook someone that you don’t know. In boxing, anything can happen. It's an unpredictable sport. You have to be ready each and every time, 100 percent focused on the job at hand. I never ever find the mandatories hard to go for. My focus is very much on Saturday."
"I feel like everybody else has been talking about the bigger fights (laughs). But I'm in a position where I can't afford to think about anything else other than Saturday night. But I also understand that if I get through this fight, there are potentially huge fights out there for next year. So I can't afford to overlook anybody at this stage because if I do, those fights won't actually happen. So that's why my focus is completely on this fight. Once I get over Saturday night, then we can talk seriously about, about Amanda Serrano and these other big fighters."
