'I don't want to be famous - I want to be the best'

In a parallel universe Katie Taylor would have been lining up beside Katie McCabe in Gothenburg last week, helping the Republic of Ireland to a gutsy draw against Sweden in their big World Cup qualifier.

Taylor was a powerful, very talented winger who would have carved out a long career with Ireland had she chosen that path. Instead, she focused on boxing, dedicating herself to the ring completely from 2010.

It's fair to say things have gone pretty well for the Bray 35-year-old since then.

On 30 April, Taylor and Amanda Serrano will make history when they face off for the undisputed lightweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The pair will become the first female fighters to headline the iconic arena in its 140-year history, as Taylor's relentless trailblazing reaches is highest peak.

"I want to set a great example for these young girls coming up."

McCabe touched on her compatriot's legacy on Wednesday when she said: "Katie Taylor has been such a role model and really important. You think of women's boxing, you think of Katie Taylor.

"She's earned that right. You see how dedicated she is and how hard working she is and obviously I've got a few team-mates that know her personally and how focused she is, and it shows.

"She's not a champion for no reason. I don't know how many belts she has exactly, but she's fantastic. The women's team are 100% behind her, as are the whole of the Irish nation I bet as well. It's fantastic. As I said, she's a real role model and I hope she beats Serrano."

The magnitude of the occasion is certainly not lost on Taylor, who has scrapped and fought through so much adversity en route to the top of the game.

"This is just a special occasion for me, to headline a huge fight like this at Madison