Katie Taylor has insisted that the intense media build-up to her professional debut in London on Saturday will not distract her from performing on fight night.
The former Olympic champion takes on Poland’s Karina Kopinska this weekend at Wembley Arena, with the foes meeting face-to-face for the first time at Thursday’s pre-fight press conference in the Landmark Hotel in the Marylebone area of the English capital.
The press event was Taylor’s third major media obligation inside the space of five days as promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sports and manager Brian Peters attempt to boost the Bray woman’s profile outside of Ireland ahead of her paid bow live on Sky Sports.
In sharp contrast to her relatively few media interactions during her glittering amateur career, the 30-year-old has been swamped by pre-fight press attention in recent days.
"I’m just taking it in my stride and not thinking too much about these press conferences,” said Taylor, speaking after Wednesday’s top-table event.
"I think years ago it might have stressed me out, but I’ve enjoyed the whole process so far and the most important thing is that it hasn’t taken away from my focus for Saturday evening as well.
"It has been a busy week for sure, but training is going well. I feel in great shape and I’m completely focused on the fight on Saturday," added the Bray native, who memorably claimed Olympic gold around 25 miles away from the weekend’s fight venue four years ago at the ExCel Arena.
"I’ve definitely got great memories from here so it is nice to start my professional career here and it’s a good omen, I suppose," Taylor, who seemed to measure up shorter than her 27-year-old opponent when they posed for their obligatory head-to-head photo opportunity, said.
The fact that Kopinska was wearing high-heeled boots skewed the height advantage as the foes are actually closer in stature than they appeared (the Pole is actually only two inches taller than Taylor’s height of 5ft 5in).
“It’s a bit awkward, stare-offs, I don’t really know what to be doing,” laughed Taylor when confirming her first meeting with her opponent.
The five-time amateur world champion joked: “I should’ve wore my high heels! I was looking up.
“But [seriously] this is the start of something very special for me… I’ve always wanted to bring women’s boxing to new levels so this is the start of it.”
Saturday’s bout is set to be contested at a 132lb weight limit – in keeping with Taylor’s amateur weight of 60kg, but slightly below the 135lb professional lightweight limit – but the Bray native has the advantage of an extra day to recover after Friday’s weigh-in unlike her amateur days when she had to make weight on the morning of every fight.
“It’s 132lbs – 60kg again – but just to have that extra day is going to be huge for me,” said Taylor. “I’m pretty much on the weight at the moment so I’ll just have a light session later on to work up a sweat and then I’ll be all set for tomorrow,” added the 30-year-old, who earlier stated at the press conference top table that she does not feel any pressure ahead of her big debut.
“This is just like any normal fight for me really,” she said. “I think I’ve been under pressure every time I’ve been in any big competition so the approach is exactly the same. I’ll go into the fight well prepared and I’m prepared for a tough six-round battle," added Taylor, who will have new trainer Ross Enamait in her corner.
Kopinska – who carries a record of seven wins, 14 losses and three draws into the bout – may be familiar to Irish fight fans as the Polish journeywoman was defeated in an entertaining small-hall scrap with Monaghan’s Christina McMahon in 2013, although that bout took place at a much lighter weight.
The Pole has only been stopped once in her career, so Kopinska will be keen to upset the lopsided bookmakers’ odds which see Taylor priced as an unbackable 1/100 favourite.
“I can’t wait for the fight. I know Katie Taylor is a very good boxer, the best amateur boxer in the world so I’m happy that I can fight her in her debut and I hope it’s a good fight,” said the Pole.
Meanwhile, promoter Eddie Hearn again talked up Taylor’s potential to revolutionise women’s pro boxing as the Bray native did in the amateur ranks.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about women’s boxing and men’s boxing, but I really don’t see it like that – I see it as boxing,” said Hearn. “I see it as someone who’s achieved more than most or pretty much anybody prior to turning professional. It’s a chance to really change the game and break down the barriers,” added the promoter.
