Liverpool – IBF, WBC, WBO, WBA lightweight world champion Katie Taylor (20-0, 6 KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over Firuza Sharipova (14-2, 8 KOs). (Photos by Mark Robinson)
The scores were 98-92, 97-92 and 96-93.
It was a technical contest for the most part, with each fighter picking their spots. Taylor was the more accurate of the two, with Sharipova having good spells of success in rounds that were very close.
Taylor’s hand speed was the difference when they exchanged. Sharipova was doing her best work when they at close range or wrestling around in close. In the sixth, Sharipova lost a point for hitting on the break.
As the fight played out, Taylor was breaking away and outlanding Sharipova with the more accurate punches. They traded a lot of punches at close range as the fight came to a close in the tenth and final round.