KATIE TAYLOR

2012 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST / 3 TIME WORLD CHAMPION  / 5 TIME EUROPEAN CHAMPION

(picture courtesy of Michael Hade – IABA)

There has been a renewed interest in boxing in Ireland amongst women over the last few years. One of the main reasons for this has been the success of Bray Boxing Club’s very own Katie Taylor.

In October 2001 a 15 year old Katie Taylor beat Belfast’s Alanna Murphy in the first-ever sanctioned female boxing match at the National Stadium in Dublin.

Katie Taylor is without doubt the greatest female amateur boxer in the world today. She is a 5 time EU Champion & current Triple World Champion.

In 2009 Womens Boxing was designated as an Olympic Sport and will take place at The London 2012 Olympics and it is expected that once again female boxing both in Ireland and around the world will see a renewed interest in boxing amongst women. On 16th May 2012, Katie Taylor made history by becoming the first Irish Female boxer to qualify for the Olympics.

“We (IABA) have succeeded in changing attitudes, we have got girls in all National Championships, we have increased female participation in the sport. Let us now, with joint efforts, strengthen the sport at local and provincial level, and give opportunities for our top level boxers to excel beyond their dreams”

- Anja Norman IABA Womens Development Officer