On this day in 2019: Katie Taylor takes Linardatou's WBO title in Manchester
The points win made her only the third boxer from Ireland, after Steve Collins and Carl Frampton, to capture world titles in two weight divisions.
Katie Taylor moved up in weight and beat Christina Linardatou by unanimous decision at Manchester Arena 7 years ago today, becoming a world champion in a second division. The judges scored the 10-round fight 97–93, 97–93 and 96–94.
The result put Taylor alongside Steve Collins and Carl Frampton as the only boxers from Ireland to win world titles in two weight divisions. She arrived in Manchester straight from her win against Delfine Persoon at Madison Square Garden, which crowned the first undisputed lightweight champion, ending Persoon's 8-year reign. That victory made Taylor only the seventh boxer in history, female or male, to hold the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC titles simultaneously.
Linardatou, the WBO female junior-welterweight champion, started as the aggressor and forced Taylor onto the back foot, though the Irish challenger landed two right hands as the bell rang to end the first. Taylor used her footwork in the second and stayed behind the jab in the third, landing left hooks. Linardatou landed multiple right hands in the fourth and fifth, leaving Taylor with swelling above her right eye.
Taylor used her footwork and landed rapid combinations in the sixth. In the eighth she planted her feet and traded punches, landing a combination of power punches before a right hand from the champion stopped her in her tracks. Her corner criticised her for taking too many punches, and she went back to her boxing for the last two rounds.
The WBO belt returned to Taylor four years later. At 37, she defeated Chantelle Cameron in Dublin for the WBA, IBF, WBO, WBC and IBO titles, regaining the title she first won from Linardatou.
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Reported by the Combat Sports UK desk. Times are UK and Irish time, and we update the report when the facts change. How we work.