KATIE TAYLOR has no intention of retiring, despite recent speculation.
Instead, the 36-year-old is focused on scheduling a rematch against Chantelle Cameron, following her defeat in Dublin on May 20. Moving up from lightweight to super-lightweight for the fight against the 32-year-old, Taylor endured her first professional loss.
Although some called into question whether the years of fighting against the likes of Cameron, Amanda Serrano, Delfine Persoon and Natasha Jonas had taken their toll, Taylor insists her passion for the sport is as strong as ever.
“I take it fight by fight and year by year, but right now I’m not going to end my career like that. I’m excited to step back in there and perform. This is my passion and I’m so grateful to be doing it every day,” she said, dismissing talk of retirement in an interview with RTE.
However, the Olympic Gold medallist admitted there is plenty she would like to change if given the chance to face Cameron once more.
“I think the right person won. I have to take the loss and move on from it. I’m just excited to get back to America to start training again for the rematch. That is part of a loss,” she said.
“You always learn more from your failures and disappointments [than your victories]. That is where the growth happens during those moments. I will learn from this.”
Meanwhile, Cameron has declared she is ready and willing to fight Taylor again on her home turf, despite the defeat.
“I’ll happily go to Ireland and do the rematch. I’ll come down to 135lbs if that’s what it takes… I don’t back down from anyone,” Cameron said in a recent interview.