Taylor eases into semi-finals

Katie Taylor is through to the semi-finals of the Russian Multi Nations following a 17-4 last-eight win over Russian lightweight Ayzanet Gadzhieva at the Sports Palace in St Petersburg tonight.

The victory, achieved over four two-minute rounds, was the Bray woman's 37th in a row over the last three years.

Taylor was leading 7-0 at the end of the first round, 8-1 at the end of the second and 12-4 at the end of the third in this repeat of the 2008 AIBA World lightweight semi-final, which Taylor won 20-2 in Ningbo City, China last November.

The World and European champion meets Alexandra Sidorenko of the Ukraine in Friday’s semi-final in St Petersburg.

Taylor beat Sidorenko 12-2 in the preliminary rounds of the Ahmet Cup in Istanbul, Turkey in May.