BOXING promoter Eddie Hearn has called for Katie Taylor's next fight to be held in Ireland, saying the Bray Bomber and her Irish supporters deserve it.
Hearn made the comments after Taylor's comfortable points victory over Karen Elizabeth Carabajal at Wembley Arena to retain her undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO world lightweight titles.
The win made it 22 successive victories for Taylor, who returned to the venue where she made her professional debut in 2016.
Eddie Hearn with Katie Taylor and Karen Elizabeth Carabajal during weigh-in ahead of Saturday’s fight (Image: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)She has since become a trailblazer for women's boxing and in April defeated Amanda Serrano in the first women's boxing bout to headline Madison Square Garden.
However, Taylor has yet to fight professionally in Ireland, with a mooted rematch against Serrano in Dublin last month never materialising.
Hearn has now said it is time to give Taylor a homecoming fight — whether it is against Serrano or another opponent.
Taylor lands a right on Carabajal (Image: James Chance/Getty Images)"We already had everything in motion with Croke Park, with the authorities, with [Taylor's manager] Brian Peters, September 15 this year we were looking to go there for the rematch," Hearn told DAZN Boxing after Taylor's victory over Carabajal.
"Amanda Serrano is saying the right things now but honestly, time won't wait for Amanda Serrano.
"We hope it's her but it doesn't matter who it is, it's going to be a big fight and it has to be next, it has to be Ireland."
'Sporting event Ireland will never forget'
Hearn added that a fight in Ireland was the least Taylor deserved after what she had done for women's boxing and that it would be just reward for her and her supporters.
"Six years ago we were here [in Wembley], people laughed at us," he added.
"Katie didn't think we could get the opportunity.
"It's OK to jump on now — women's boxing is great now, everyone wants to do it — but for years and years, almost 30 years, Katie Taylor has been treading paths for others to tread.
Taylor ahead of her defence of the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO world lightweight titles (Image: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"She's an absolute legend of the sport of boxing. she's an icon of the sport of boxing and it's time to return to Ireland now.
"Whoever it is, wherever it is, Ireland has to be next for Katie Taylor.
"She deserves it more than anyone, she's boxed all over the world.
"The Irish fans are incredible, they travel everywhere — Madison Square Garden, Wembley, everywhere we've been.
Taylor before her bout with Carabajal (Image: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"It's time to give Ireland a sporting event they will never forget and that's the return of their hero, Katie Taylor."
The fighter herself echoed Hearn's comments, welcoming the opportunity to fight in Ireland, irrespective of the opponent.
"Regardless of whether it's Amanda Serrano or not, we want to fight at Croke Park," she told DAZN Boxing.
"Eighty thousand people, every single person here is gonna be at it, that'll be the biggest event in women's boxing history."
See More: Amanda Serrano, Eddie Hearn, Katie Taylor
