Katie Taylor will only be lured back to boxing by “something very special” and there are “two chances” she could retire, promoter Eddie Hearn says.
Taylor, 39, has hinted she will retire from the sport in 2026, but also suggested she could be tempted into a sensational crossover fight against former UFC champion Ronda Rousey.
Taylor was last in action in July when she defeated Amanda Serrano for the third time at Madison Square Garden, while Rousey has not fought since 2016 when she was defeated by Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. The American then moved to WWE before her 2023 departure.
Ronda Rousey last fought in the UFC in 2016
The loss to Nunes came on the heels of a shock loss to Holly Holm, who ended her 12-fight unbeaten streak, in 2015.
Hearn, however, is skeptical. “Katie Taylor vs. Ronda Rousey. I don’t see the legs in it, to be honest,” he said Ski Sports.
“I don’t think it’s that competitive. But then again, in the world we live in, you know, AJ (Anthony Joshua) against Jake Paul wasn’t that competitive, and he did extremely well.”
Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round when he fought the YouTube star in December, a fight watched by 33 million viewers worldwide on Netflix.
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Highlights of Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua. Video courtesy of Netflix and MVP. Jake vs. Joshua is now available for global viewing only on Netflix.
“When we talk about the fight again, Katy has to make a decision,” Hearn added.
“Will she fight again? There’s probably a good chance she wouldn’t. There’s also a chance she could fight, but she’s done so much.”
“I think it’s going to take something special for her to fight again.”