Katie Taylor given title fight ultimatum with belt set to be stripped
Katie Taylor has been told to make a decision regarding her belt by the WBC's interim lightweight champion Caroline Dubois
Katie Taylor has been issued an ultimatum by interim champion Caroline Dubois: defend your WBC lightweight world title or give it up.
The bray boxer retained her undisputed light welterweight status after beating Amanda Serrano in the co-main event of Jake Paul's victory over Mike Tyson in Arlington, Texas earlier this month. However, she hasn't fought at 135lbs in over two years.
Taylor is still the WBA, WBC , and The Ring champion. However, the World Boxing Council is deliberating whether to strip her of her title next month due to inactivity.
IBO champion Dubois became the interim champion when beating Maira Moneo in August. She's now demanding a final decision from Taylor.
"I'm mandatory to the belt. Katie needs to either come back down and fight me or let the belt go," Dubois told Sky Sports. "She hasn't fought for the belt for over a year now," Dubois said.
"It seems apparent that she's not going to come back down to 135lbs. So she's just hoarding the belt, stopping me in my tracks and my future and my career, for what purpose? She's done so well in her career.
"She's fought Amanda Serrano, I'm sure she's going to want the trilogy, that's going to be a big money fight. But that will be at 140lbs. So there's no business even holding onto the belt. Just let it go and I get on with my career and she can get on with hers."
After her October 2022 victory over Karen Carabajal, which took her record to an impressive 22-0, Taylor moved up from lightweight. Her initial attempt at capturing the light-welterweight titles against Chantelle Cameron in May 2023 didn't come to fruition, but she clinched victory in their rematch six months later at Dublin's 3Arena.
A third bout with Cameron is now seemingly on Taylor's radar, notwithstanding a possible Serrano trilogy, despite having outperformed her twice already. As for whether Taylor will step back down to lightweight to accept a challenge from Dubois, only time will tell.
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