Katie Taylor is set to defend her status as the undisputed lightweight champion on October 29 at Wembley’s OVO Arena, where she will face the unbeaten Karen Elizabeth Carabajal from Argentina. Taylor is risking her WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO titles in this bout. This follows her legendary encounter in April at Madison Square Garden—the first time women headlined the venue—where she narrowly beat Amanda Serrano. That victory pushed Taylor's record to 21-0, and this upcoming fight comes six months later. For the undefeated Carabajal, this will be her first time competing on foreign soil.
Returning to the site of her 2016 pro debut, the 36-year-old Taylor faces an opponent who has spent her entire career fighting in Argentina. Taylor is no stranger to the venue, having beaten Miriam Gutierrez there during the height of the 2020 lockdowns. Given the rankings of both women, this is shaping up to be a grueling and captivating encounter.
The event's undercard will see Caoimhin Agyarko of Belfast go head-to-head with Peter Dobson from the US. Agyarko is fighting to protect the WBA international super-welterweight belt for the first time, a title he earned in July by defeating Lukasz Maciec.
Reflecting on the matchup, Katie Taylor admitted it feels surreal that six years have passed since her professional debut at this venue, and she is thrilled to return as the main attraction. She noted that while her career has been an incredible ride so far, she feels there are still plenty of challenging fights ahead and is eager to see what the future holds.
Promoted by the former world champ Marcos Maidana, 32-year-old Carabajal enters the ring with a flawless 19-0 record since turning pro in 2013. She expressed pure excitement upon being offered the chance to fight Taylor. Despite being four years younger than the champion, Carabajal believes her relentless training has prepared her for this moment; she has no intention of letting Taylor win and is confident she will bring all the championship belts back to Argentina.
Unlike her fight with Serrano, where Taylor had spent months preparing for two previously cancelled bouts and knew her opponent's style intimately, Carabajal presents a mystery. Very little is known about the Argentine fighter, making this a completely different and unpredictable challenge for Taylor.