Katie Taylor will fight for her first World title as she meets two-weight World champion Anahi Esther Sanchez for the WBA Lightweight crown on the undercard of Anthony Joshua MBE’s World Heavyweight title showdown with Kubrat Pulev at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on October 28, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Irish amateur sensation Taylor moved to 6-0 in the paid ranks with a fourth stoppage win in her US debut last time out in New York in July and saw off Nina Meinke in an eliminator for the WBA crown at Wembley Stadium in April as part of the supporting cast to Joshua’s epic win over Wladimir Klitschko.
Sanchez collected the vacant strap on Saturday night with a stoppage win over Argentine compatriot Cecila Sofia Mena in Buenos Aires, adding that to the IBF Super-Featherweight crown the 26 year old claimed in 2016 having moved up from Featherweight where she held the interim IBF strap – but Taylor is confident she will make her WBA Lightweight reign a short one and triumph in Wales.
“I’m delighted that the World title fight has been confirmed and on such a big stage as well,” said Taylor. “This is what I’m in boxing for to win World titles and be in big fights on big nights like this.
“Sanchez has won multiple World titles so I’m expecting a very tough fight but I definitely feel I’m ready for it and these are the kind of challenges I want.
“It’s such a great time for boxing right now to have these huge events. Boxing at Wembley on the Joshua – Klitschko card was a great experience and now to have the opportunity to become World Champion at Principality Stadium is very special and October 28 can’t come soon enough.”
Taylor challenges Sanchez on a bumper bill in support of Joshua’s showdown with Pulev, the third World title bout on the card as Kal Yafai defends his WBA Super-Flyweight title against unbeaten mandatory challenger Sho Ishida.
Frank Buglioni and Callum Johnson meet for the British and Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight titles, Lenroy Thomas and Dave Allen rematch for the Commonwealth Heavyweight title and Team GB Olympian and Welsh talent Joe Cordina appears in his fifth pro outing.
