Katie Taylor says she only has eyes for a gold medal after cruising to the semi-finals at the European Games in Baku.
Taylor is guaranteed at least a bronze medal after defeating Sweden's Ida Lundblad in the quarter-finals this morning.
"It’s the training that’s the hardest...The months and months of preparation that nobody really sees" - Katie Taylor
"I enjoy fighting those kind of fighters, so it suited me down to the ground," Taylor told RTÉ Sport this morning. "I’m just delighted now to be in the competition and boxing for a place in the final."
While she said she was happy to be competing, the five-time world champion said she would not be satisfied with anything but overall victory.
"I think every fight is a tough fight, but I’m not settling for a bronze medal. I always come into these competitions hoping to come away with a gold medal. I won’t relax until I have the gold medal around my neck."
However, her semi-final is against Yana Alekseevna, the fighter Taylor defeated to win her fifth world title in Jeju in South Korea last year. And Azerbaijan-born Alekseevna is sure to have the support of a loud home crowd in Baku.
“Yeah, I’ve boxed many people in their own back yard," a confident Taylor said.
"Done it plenty of times. In China, I boxed a Chinese girl in the final of the World Championships. I boxed Russians in their home nation. I enjoy it.
"The atmosphere is going to be fantastic for the fight. It’s going to be such a tough contest, but these are the kinds of fights that I cherish."
Taylor has looked injury-free and in good form at these championships, having already eased past Bulgarian Denista Eliseeva in the last round. Eliseeva was the last fighter to beat Taylor - in 2011. But the Bray fighter had no such problems this time.
"This is the most enjoyable part – when you are in competition. It’s the training that’s the hardest. It’s the preparation. The months and months of preparation that nobody really sees, that’s the hardest part
"But once I'm here, all the training’s done. I can enjoy myself and express myself in the ring."
