'I want to be remembered as the person who opened doors for women' - Katie Taylor

Katie Taylor returns to the ring in Liverpool against Firuza Sharipova this Saturday

"What do I want to be remembered for? That's a good question."

It is not the biggest fight of her career, but a loss to Sharipova would wipe out Taylor's dream of retiring undefeated and as an undisputed champion in multiple divisions.

She intends to fight fellow superstar, featherweight champion Amanda Serrano, in spring of next year in pursuit of that goal.

At 35, Taylor might be forgiven for slowing down. She was 10 when she started boxing, but the "hunger and passion" is still there in an Irishwoman who has revolutionised women's professional boxing.

"When I started boxing as a 10-year-old, women's boxing wasn't even allowed in Ireland at the time," she says.

"I was dreaming of becoming a world champion when it wasn't even sanctioned as an Olympic sport.

"Just seeing how far women's boxing has come, seeing the boundaries that have been broken down, seeing the obstacles that have been broken down - it's amazing to be a part of that."

Taylor is a national hero in Ireland, regarded as possibly the country's greatest ever sportswoman. She was the first Irishwoman to win Olympic gold in boxing - only the country's second in the sport at the time - and has dominated the paid ranks since turning pro in 2016.

But the woman behind the gloves is a guarded individual.

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Taylor spends most of the year in Connecticut in the United States, training with American coach Ross Enamait. She is quiet, deeply religious and shies away from media coverage.

"I'm trying embrace it a bit more," she says. And it shows. Much more of her personality has shone through in recent years as Taylor has worked to find a powerful voice to go with her fighting talents.

The Serrano fight could pocket her $1m (£756,000), if reports are to be believed. But despite buying a small speedboat recently, the native of Bray, just south of Dublin, likes to keep things as they always have been - simple.

"I definitely live a very simple lifestyle and I love that," she says, laughing loudly at the prospect of going out and buying a Rolex watch like some fighters, before quipping: "Maybe someday."

"It's great to know I'm not surrounded by 'yes' people," she says. "I have no problem with them being honest with me and I think that's really important.

"To be around honest people like Ross, who are always there to pull me up on things. My family are like that also. I don't think with those people around I'll ever be someone I'm not."

Taylor is a big favourite against Sharipova, who is 14-1 and, at 27, almost a decade younger than the defending champion.

Sharipova has dug into Taylor's amateur days to try to find the answer to beating her. She has drafted Sofya Ochigava - the woman Taylor pipped to Olympic gold at London 2012 - into her camp.

Katie Taylor is confident of another victory which will take her to 20-0

Taylor "couldn't care less" that Sharipova has turned to Ochigava, and doubts the Russian will have any insight into how to beat her now she is an undisputed professional champion.

"People have only seen 60% or 70% of what I can really do," she says.

"I know myself, I know my potential and I know what I can do in sparring in the gym. That hasn't transferred yet into the ring - I can't wait for that to happen."

Despite all of her experience, Taylor says she still gets "really nervous" before fights.

"I think any fighter that says they're not nervous before fights is a liar," she adds.

"Not just a liar, probably a sociopath. There's nerves before a fight but that's normal because this means a lot to me. I want to be the best.

"I want to continue to break boundaries in the sport. I want to be the best I can be."

Is being the best what Taylor wants her legacy to be?

"When I started boxing there was a lot of obstacles," she says. "I feel that path is a lot easier for the female fighters growing up now. I see so many young girls in the gym now.

"They're absolutely flying and it's actually so exciting for me to see them on their journey. I want to be remembered as the person who opened the door for those young girls so they could walk through."