Katie Taylor: Irish lightweight stops Rose Volante to set up unification bout

Katie Taylor (right) now has three of the four major lightweight world title belts

Undefeated Irish lightweight Katie Taylor won a third world title belt with a ninth-round stoppage of Rose Volante in Philadelphia.

The 32-year-old London Olympic champion added the WBO belt to her WBA and IBF titles to set up a unification fight with WBC champion Delfine Persoon.

It was 36-year-old Brazilian Volante's first professional defeat.

Taylor is now expected to meet Persoon on the Anthony Joshua-Jarrell Miller undercard on 1 June in New York.

Taylor, who becomes the first Irish fighter to win three of the four major world titles in the modern era, floored Volante with a right hand in the first round.

She continued to dominate her opponent with impressive combinations before a hard right to Volante's head at the start of the sixth bloodied the South American's nose.

It finally ended in the ninth when an accidental clash of heads opened a large cut on Volante's nose, prompting referee Benjy Esteves to halt the bout.

Taylor says a unification fight with Belgium's former kickboxer Persoon has to be next.

"That's the fight that people have been talking about for over a year now and now I can start talking about that fight," she told Sky Sports after the bout at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University.

"I've got the three belts, she's got the WBC belt, so we have to get that fight on next."

Promoter Eddie Hearn said he "believes" he can deliver the bout in June.

"It's a tough fight, Persoon was an outstanding amateur, she's got a tough style to beat, she can punch as well, but Katie has come through another test tonight and she's just a dream to work with," he told Sky Sports.

Defeat for Carroll, victory for Campbell

It was Carroll's first professional defeat, which takes his record to 16 wins, one draw and one loss from 18 fights

American Tevin Farmer retained his IBF super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Ireland's Jono Carroll.

The 29-year-old saw off the challenge of the 26-year-old Irishman in his home city in his third title defence since winning the belt in August last year.

The fight was scored 117-110 117-111 117-111 in Farmer's favour after 12 rounds, handing Carroll his first loss on his US debut.

Meanwhile, Britain's Luke Campbell stopped Mexico's Adrian Yung in the fifth round.