Katie Taylor confirms interest in fight with ‘iconic’ Ronda Rousey

Katie Taylor vs. Ronda Rousey could be more than just a rumor.

Following BoxingScene’s report that a bout between Taylor, a legend in boxing, and Rousey, a legend in MMA, is in the works, the publication spoke to Taylor and the 39-year-old Irishwoman confirmed there is interest on her side in making a cross-over fight happen.

“[Rousey’s] an iconic figure herself in female sport,” Taylor told BoxingScene. “She has an amazing mentality. You don’t get to the position she’s in without a fantastic mind, without a fantastic mentality.

“It’s just a very interesting fight. Seeing all the headlines this morning, I was thinking, ‘OK, I’m up and ready for this fight.’”

Rousey, 38, has not competed in a professional fight since UFC 207 in December 2016, when she was knocked out in just 48 seconds by Amanda Nunes. It was the second straight knockout loss for Rousey, following a devastating head kick courtesy of Holly Holm, and it signaled the beginning of a major career shift. She went on to pursue acting gigs as well as successful professional wrestling run with WWE. However, she has frequently dismissed talks of a comeback, despite sparking interest with recent social media posts showing off her return to training.

In her fighting prime, Rousey was a dominant force in the UFC’s bantamweight division and a consistent box office draw for the promotion. She recorded six straight title defenses from 2013-2015, defeating several of her opponents in under a minute.

“Absolutely, it’s an interesting fight,” Taylor said at a WBC Convention in Thailand. “It’s a fight that will interest and capture the imagination of the fans and that’s what boxing needs. I’d be very, very happy to fight Ronda. I’m very open to these kinds of fights where all generations can sit down and watch boxing.

“I’m very, very open… to fighting Ronda Rousey. Absolutely open to it, for sure.”

As Rousey is to women’s MMA, Taylor is widely regarded as a pivotal figure in the rise of the popularity of women’s boxing. Taylor won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics and went on to compile a 25-1 pro record, including numerous title defenses across two divisions. She holds three decision wins over fellow boxing legend Amanda Serrano, with their past two bouts airing live on Netflix and taking place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and Madison Square Garden in New York.

Rousey is yet to comment on the report, but it sounds like the gears are in motion on Taylor’s side.

“[Rousey] has such a huge following,” Taylor said. “It would be an amazing privilege to step into the ring with such a legend—not just in UFC, but women’s sports as a whole. We’ll see what happens.”