Philippines, 10 May 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


TAYLOR BIDS TO BECOME TWO-WEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION IN MANCHESTER

PhilBoxing.com




Katie Taylor will bid to become a two-weight World Champion when she meets Christina Linardatou for the WBO Super-Lightweight World title at Manchester Arena on Saturday November 2, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

On the same bill, Manchester favourite Anthony Crolla bids farewell at the venue he was crowned World Champion, rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi steps up again to take on another former World title challenger in Blake Caparello, Felix Cash defends his Commonwealth Middleweight title against English Champion Jack Cullen and Gamal Yafai and Qais Ashfaq continue their march towards titles.

Taylor (14-0, 6 KOs) completed her journey for Olympic gold to undisputed Lightweight World Champion with a thrilling points win over Belgium?s Delfine Persoon on the blockbuster Joshua vs. Ruiz card at Madison Square Garden on June 1.

After a bloody and brutal battle that captivated the New York crowd, the Irish star added Persoon?s WBC belt to her IBF, WBO and WBA titles to hold all four at 135lbs and cement her place as the number one Lightweight on the planet.

Linardatou (12-1, 6 KOs) landed the WBO crown with a sixth round TKO win over Kandi Wyatt in her home city of Athens in March. The 31-year-old made the first defence of her title against Deanha Hobbs three months later in Greece, dominating the Australian over ten rounds.

Her sole career loss came against Delfine Persoon in June 2016 when she was outpointed in a challenge for the former champion?s WBC title in Belgium ? her first World title attempt before moving up in weight to Super-Lightweight.

?I had some of my early pro fights at Manchester Arena and to come back in November and headline a card there a couple of years on is amazing,? said Taylor. ?It?s played host to some huge nights in boxing history so I?m honoured to be part of that tradition.

?It?s a new challenge at a new weight and something I?m really excited about. I still feel like I have so much left to achieve in the sport and becoming a two-weight World Champion is one of those goals.

?There are still so many huge fights out there for me like the Amanda Serrano fight, a rematch with Delfine Persoon and a fight with Cecilia Br?khus but the first goal is November 2nd and winning another World title.

?I don?t have any issues making Lightweight so I think I can move comfortably between the two weights. I always want to push myself and Christina?s an excellent World Champion so it will be a big test for me.?

Linardatou said: ?I plan on leaving England with my title. If I need to knock Katie Taylor out in order to retain the title, that?s what I?ll do.?

Former Lightweight World Champion Crolla (34-7-3, 13 KOs) fittingly returns to the scene of his greatest triumph to call the curtains on a memorable career after challenging pound-for-pound star Vasiliy Lomachenko for the WBA and WBO Lightweight titles in Los Angeles earlier this year.

The Mancunian hero won the WBA Lightweight crown against Darleys Perez on a hugely emotional evening at Manchester Arena in November 2015 and successfully defended his title against Ismael Barroso at the same venue the following year.

Croydon?s Buatsi (12-0, 10 KOs) fights in Manchester for the first time as a professional after extending his explosive KO streak to seven fights as he stopped Canada?s Ford in seven rounds at The O2 in London on the Lomachenko vs. Campbell card.

Next up on his World title quest is Australia?s Caparello (30-3-1, 13 KOs), a former opponent of WBO Light-Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev and former IBF Super-Middleweight ruler Andre Dirrell, who arrives on these shores coming off four wins.

Cash (11-0, 7 KOs) was due to defend his Commonwealth title against Little Lever?s Cullen (17-1, 8 KOs) in July before an injury ruled him out but the pair will now clash in November after Cullen stopped John Harding Jr in eight rounds in Liverpool, while Yafai (16-1, 9 KOs) was last seen stopping Brayan Mairena in Birmingham last September.

?I?m so happy to be back in Manchester for this huge show,? said Eddie Hearn. ?Katie Taylor is now established as one of the biggest stars in world boxing and she bids to make more history by becoming a multi weight World Champion by challenging WBO Super-Lightweight champ Christina Linardatou.

?Hometown hero Anthony Crolla rolls the dice one more time as he takes part in his final fight in the sport in the arena that has hosted so many epic Anthony Crolla nights. The stabilisers are off for Joshua Buatsi as he takes a huge step up against tough Australian BC in a WBA World title eliminator and there is a brilliant domestic Middleweight clash between Commonwealth champ Felix Cash and English champ Jack Cullen ? there?s plenty more beneath these four fights on what will be a huge night of boxing.?

Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing, said: ?We are absolutely thrilled to be showing the best female boxer in the world back on Sky Sports on this huge show. This is another major test for Katie Taylor as the undisputed Lightweight champion takes on all comers and continues to cement her extraordinary legacy in the sport.

?Katie is a marvellous ambassador and inspiration to so many and we are delighted to be working so closely with her as we look to feature both the very best in boxing and also in women?s sport on Sky.?




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Blood, Grit, and Iron: Zhu Outlasts Abne in a Cebu War
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 10 May 2026
  • Tickets ON SALE NOW for Abdullah Mason-Joe Cordina at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center
    , Sat, 09 May 2026
  • IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia bags gold in ASEAN E-Sports chess qualifying round
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 09 May 2026
  • Wardley vs Dubois: Heavyweight Tussle in Manchester
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 09 May 2026
  • Fireworks Expected as Cebu's Arañas and Noynay Rumble for WBF Silver Belt
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 09 May 2026
  • Keyshawn Davis: "Nahir Albright’s Going To Be the Fourth Guy I Stop in a Row!"
    , Sat, 09 May 2026
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Cinco De Mayo, A Historic Celebration Of Boxing
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Abne, Zhu Make Weight for IBF Eliminator in Cebu; Winner Fights Taduran
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • IBA presents stacked fight card for May 21 event in Mexico City
    , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Laurente to promote amateur boxing
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Heavyweight Gustavo Trujillo Has a New Date Returns May 30 at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale
    , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Toro Promotions & Whitfield Haydon Officially Announce ‘Sizzling Summer Boxing Series’
    , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Jean Henri Lhuillier Drives ASAPHIL’s Winning System Through Long-Term Vision and Coaching Continuity
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Dy ready to face Malignaggi in BKB on May 16
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • ‘A younger lion always comes for that old lions spot. Your time is up, GET OUT OF MY WAY! – Manny Ritti challenges former ONE FC World Champion Nobutsu Suzuki May 29 in Perth – Thunderdome 54
    , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • Kenia Enriquez Signs Multi-Year Contract with Latin KO Promotions
    , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • FM Habla, Madriaga win Armageddon for IIEE-PSME Quezon City in PCAP
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • Undefeated heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor Graduates to 10-rounder this Saturday in Atlanta
    , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • Jonas Magpantay bags P300,000 with Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer 10-Ball title win
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 06 May 2026
  • Abdullah Mason Returns Home for Lightweight World Title Defense against Joe Cordina July 4 at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center
    , Wed, 06 May 2026
  • Christopher Guerrero to face Delante Johnson on July 4 at the CSU Wolstein Center in Cleveland!
    , Wed, 06 May 2026
  • Yanong and Horiike make weight in Japan for OPBF 140 lb. title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Kulog at Kidlat: Boxing, Art, Thunder and Lightning at the 3rd Pacquiao–Elorde Awards
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Camique forced to fight after food poisoning; hospitalized after losing by UD
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Tony Tolj Previews Thunderdome 54
    , Tue, 05 May 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.