BOXING Taylor Through to Semi Final

Katie Taylor racked up her 42nd win in a row and her 63rd win in 64 outings with a 9-0 quarter final verdict over Italian southpaw Marzia Davide at the Usti nad Labem Gran Prix in the Czech Republic today.

But her Irish team-mate Sinead Kavanagh bowed out of the tournament on a 4-2 count-back to Bulgarian, Desisvala Lazarova after their middleweight contest finished level at 2-2.

Taylor, the current World and European champion who has yet to concede a point in two bouts at the tournament, will now meet 2006 World bantamweight champion Sofya Ochigava of Russia in Friday's 60Kg semi final.

Ochigava, who won bronze at featherweight at the 2008 World Championships, will be tough and durable opponent according to Taylor's dad and coach Peter Taylor.

He said: "The Russian girl is very experienced and it will be another test for Katie in the semi finals. I thought that Sinead did enough to win her bout and she was very unlucky to lose on a count-back."

China's Cheng Dong, who Taylor beat in the 2008 AIBA World Senior Championships lightweight final in China, is through to the corresponding semi final in Usti nad labem.