Katie Taylor has vacated her WBC lightweight title after a hearing at the boxing council’s conference in Germany today, with Caroline Dubois, sister of world champion Daniel, being promoted to champion.
The WBC were looking to make a quick decision as Dubois, who has called out Taylor in the past, is returning to the ring on January 11 and she will now do so in defence of her title.
Taylor had been a dominant champion at lightweight before moving up to super-lightweight, after her thrilling victory over Amanda Serrano in Madison Square Garden in 2022.
Following a defeat to Chantelle Cameron, she avenged her loss before defeating Serrano in another classic last month which was watched by an estimated 50 million people on Netflix.
It’s the third lightweight title she has lost over inactivity with Beatriz Ferreira, who Kellie Harrington defeated in the Olympics semi-final in Paris, currently the IBF champion and England’s Terri Harper the WBO champion.
Taylor now only holds the WBA and rRng magazine belts and it does not seem likely she will return to lightweight, with super-lightweight trilogy bouts against Serrano and Cameron looking more likely and discussions around Croke Park resurfacing following her most recent win over Serrano.
Taylor is among the nominees for the Irish Independent Sportstar of the Year as she aims to win it for the second year in a row and a record fourth time in her career.