Female boxing superstar, unified lightweight champ Katie Taylor is “in talks” to face female MMA legend Cris Cyborg, in a crossover boxing fight to be fought under boxing rules, that could take place this December. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweeted the news, reporting how negotiations are “ongoing.” This would be a huge event, a huge fight for women’s boxing.
Ireland’s Taylor, unbeaten, is coming off that thriller of a win over Amanda Serrano, while Brazilian Cyborg is a former UFC featherweight champion (weight 145 pounds) and she is the reigning Bellator featherweight champion. Cyborg is much the bigger fighter, with Taylor operating at 132 pounds. No doubt an agreeable weight for the prospective fight is one of the talking points at the negotiating table. But it really would be great if this fight could be made.
Mannix’ tweet in full reads as follows:
“Negotiations are ongoing for @KatieTaylor to face MMA star @CrisCyborg in a boxing match, sources told SInow. No deal yet, but the hope is for Taylor to face Cyborg in December – and then move forward with a rematch against Amanda Serrano in Ireland next spring.”
So we could be on for TWO massive female super-fights. Taylor would be risking things with a fight against Cyborg, yet even if Taylor did lose, she would still be unbeaten in her own sport (as is the case with Claressa Shields, who took a loss in a fight in MMA). Having said that, if Taylor were to take significant punishment in a fight with Cyborg (a real possibility), then might it affect her in a Serrano rematch?
Taylor really is daring to be great in taking the fight with Cyborg. As far as we fans go, let’s hope the fight can indeed be made. Who wouldn’t want to see it? But who wins? How well can Cyborg box? Would Taylor be too small? Would this fight be a war? Who is the fresher fighter at this point in time, 35 year old Taylor, or 36 year old Cyborg?
Women’s boxing really is thriving right now and this fight would add greatly to the buzz.
