Katie Taylor will have to put ambitions of a blockbuster rematch with Amanda Serrano on home soil to one side as she returns to the ring at London's Wembley Arena this weekend.
Six months have passed since that unforgettable night in New York, when the record-breaking biggest fight in women's boxing history - since matched or even surpassed by Claressa Shields' win over arch-rival Savannah Marshall - ended in the 'Bray Bomber' retaining her undisputed lightweight titles via a gruelling split decision at a captivated Madison Square Garden.
Attentions quickly turned to a rematch between the pair, with the undefeated Taylor looking for a high-profile homecoming at Dublin's Croke Park in front of 80,000 adoring fans having never fought professionally in the Republic of Ireland, despite long since establishing her reputation as the country's fighting pride.
"It would be the stuff of dreams, really," former Olympic champion Taylor said this week. "I've been a professional boxer for six years and I haven't actually fought at home, so I can't wait to make that homecoming fight. I hope that can happen."
However, the usual frustrating machinations of the fight game quickly ruled out the prospect of a swift reunion, with what is expected to be a far more routine seventh defence of her belts against first-time world-title challenger Karen Elizabeth Carabajal up next instead on Saturday night.
It is a truly daunting assignment for the challenger, who, while having notched 19 consecutive victories, has never previously fought outside of her native Argentina and achieved much of her success down at super-featherweight.
But she carries a threat of the unknown and isn't fazed by the prospect of trying to produce a monumental upset at the same venue where Taylor made her pro debut against Karina Kopinska in 2016 and also dominated Miriam Gutierrez two years ago.
“I was very happy when I received the offer to challenge Katie," Carabajal said.
“The hard work has paid off. I’m not thinking for a second about giving Katie a win. All the belts will come back to Argentina with me.”
