Katie Taylor enjoyed something of a brief homecoming this morning in Dublin's Irish Film Institute. Accompanied by her manager Brian Peters, and promoter Eddie Hearn, the message was clear; securing the WBA lightweight belt was just the beginning.
On Saturday, Taylor will return to her training base in America and begin preparations for her next fight in December.
According to Hearn, news of this fight will arrive early next week. What has been assured however is that it will be in England, and Taylor will be the headline boxer.
Having turned professional in 2016, the rapidity of Taylor's ascent through the ranks has been remarkable.
At 31 years of age, time is not necessarily on Taylor's side however. Anahi Sanchez, the opponent Taylor overcame on Saturday night, has already had 13 more fights than Taylor despite being 5 years younger.
Somewhat tongue in cheek, Taylor nonetheless estimates she has 10 more years in her yet - at least. As Hearn was quick to point out, with the rate Taylor is going through fights, such a career trajectory would see her box at least fifty more times.
However long Taylor has, there was a palpable sense of determination from Peters, Hearn and Taylor herself that she is only getting started; unifying the lightweight division is to the forefront of their minds.
In the immediate aftermath of her victory on Saturday night, Taylor spoke openly of taking over the lightweight division. Once again, her intentions were clear in this morning's press conference:
I just want to be the best out there, I want to be the greatest of all time. I want to make history in my sport.
With a homecoming fight being mooted for 'March or April' according to Peters, Taylor's legion of Irish fans could get the chance to see her box in Ireland for the first time since 2009 early next year.
Still an enigmatic figure to many, Hearn's initial attempts at showing people the real Katie Taylor were ultimately futile.
Displaying little of her reality beyond the usual aims and goals of any serious boxer, Taylor is pursuing these prizes with a fervour and audacity that reduces talking about them to time wasted.
You can watch the press conference in its entirety here.
See Also: Katie Taylor Reveals How She Humbly Turned Down Colin Farrell's Ring Walk Offer
