The 42
KATIE TAYLOR’S LONG-HELD dream of fighting at Croke Park is set to become reality on 5 September.
The Irish sporting great will bow out of boxing at the home of Gaelic games, which last hosted a prizefight when Muhammad Ali defeated Al ‘Blue’ Lewis in 1972.
Matchroom Boxing are expected to announce the landmark occasion at a press conference at Croke Park this Friday at 2pm. Taylor’s opponent will also possibly be confirmed during Friday’s announcement.
The 39-year-old Taylor has campaigned for a fight at Croke Park since her first victory over Amanda Serrano in April 2022.
Negotiations between promoter Eddie Hearn and Croke Park Ltd have reached several impasses in the four years since, but Matchroom chairman Hearn has in recent months expressed a renewed desire to get the event over the line for one of his star fighters.
One potential opponent for Taylor [25-1, 6KOs] is Frenchwoman Flora Pili [12-0, 2KOs], who is the mandatory challenger for Taylor’s IBF light-welterweight title and the no.1 contender for the recently vacated WBC title.
Taylor herself, who still holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles, vacated the WBC belt when she decided to take some time away from the sport following her third victory over Serrano last July. It was subsequently acquired by Sandy Ryan, but the English star recently confirmed her pregnancy and so the WBC belt has been freed up once more.
As such, Taylor could conceivably face Pili for all the marbles at 140 pounds, defending her own three belts and seeking to regain the WBC belt which she lost only due to her hiatus. In such a scenario, victory for Taylor would see her reestablish herself as the undisputed champion at light-welterweight.
Taylor will retire from boxing after Croke Park, dropping the curtain on a career in which she won Olympic gold, five World Championship golds and 12 continental golds as an amateur before ruling as a two-weight undisputed champion during a highly lucrative decade-long run in the professional ranks.
Ticket information and other details will likely be revealed at Friday’s Matchroom press conference.
Written by Gavan Casey and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.