Paddy Barnes has described every spar he's ever had with Katie Taylor as "a war" and backed the Bray woman to be Europe's answer to Laila Ali if she turns pro.
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Belfast man Barnes has been one of Taylor's main sparring partners in the past, trading furious combinations and blows in intense duels in which neither fighter held back.
"She can take a punch," Barnes told RTÉ Sport when recounting those battles. "I know myself I can punch hard. I’ve hit her clean a lot of times and she’s taken it well."
Barnes himself confirmed his decision to turn pro last month, following a bitterly disappointing Rio Games.
His split-decision defeat to Spain’s Samuel Carmona Heredia in their last-32 light-flyweight bout ended his gold medal dream but hastened a move to Matthew Macklin's MGM stable.
Every spar we had was a war. We used to kill each other.
On Tuesday, promoter Eddie Hearn told RTÉ Sport that Taylor is in negotiations to turn professional with the Matchroom team, and Barnes believes that's a move that will energise the entire sport.
“For Katie to turn professional, it will lift women’s professional boxing all over the world," he said.
"It will give it a better profile. If she was to fight in Ireland it will give other professionals the chance to get on her card because there aren’t too many shows in Ireland.
"It could give every other Irish pro a good chance to get recognised. It could open the floodgates for everyone else to make a living from the sport."
Former super middleweight world champion Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad, retired undefeated in 2007.
Barnes feels Taylor has the global appeal to build a similar profile.
“People all over the world know who Katie Taylor is," he added. "With her being professional and fighting on TV it could be something like Laila Ali, Muhammad Ali’s daughter.
"I think Katie Taylor is going to do the same on this side of the world.
“Every spar we had was a war. We used to kill each other. Her speed is phenomenal. She is a very, very fast boxer. Her speed and timing are out of this world."
