Katie Taylor’s storied career ended on Saturday evening in Croke Park in front of 83,000 on Jones Road. She fought Flora Pili of France who had not fought outside of France until Saturday. A number of other bouts happened on the card with guys like Paddy Donovan boxing and the card also included Molly Mc Cann who is related to Katie also adding to the family affair at Croker.

For Katie, this is the end of the road that began back in 2001 and was neatly rounded off in front of the record crowd. Taylor has won multiple National, European and World titles along with Olympic gold in 2012.

Eddie Hearn and Brian Peters have guided her professional career since 2016, Brian Peters was the man in the corner of Bernard Dunne when he won European and World titles in the mid-2000s. They have worked well over her 25 bouts as a professional to allow her flourish and achieve some big feats in the last 10 years.

Of course, there have been a number of close calls against a few fighters with Chantelle Cameron inflicting her only professional defeat and then in the 2^nd fight between the pair she won back the belts she had lost previously alas there was to be no trilogy fight and from Chantelle Cameron’s point of view she will most likely view it as a missed chance.

Katie Taylor can now begin the long and winding process of reflection and looking back her career as she settles back into civilian life for want of a better turn of phrase. She will be inundated with opportunities and interview requests you can be certain. A book can’t be too far off either although one suspects, one is already in the works.

Her next move outside of family commitments will be interesting, does she want to get involved in training or punditry or will it be a clean break away from the sport for a period of time to allow her breathe and assess her options.

The event on Saturday was very special and showcased the best of what can be achieved with joined up thinking and team work. Yes money will also talk and will continue to dominate the world of professional sport.

Aoife Scott and Roisin O were asked to sing the Irish anthem and also gave the crowd a rendition of “Grace” a song made famous by Jim Mc Cann.

I think it was stroke of genius to have two women sing the anthem and you also had the haunting voice of Dolores O Riordan to add to the occasion not forgetting Westlife who also sang a few tunes.

They built up the suspense and that worked well as the other bouts ticked along and it steadily built toward the big moment which arrived and Taylor and Pili were greeted with load roars of approval as they entered the ring.

Boxing has struggled in Ireland to regain the lost ground since 2016 owing to events at the Regency Hotel in earlier that year Thankfully for boxing fans, slowly over the past few years smaller shows have happened at the 3 Arena in particular and that has shown those in charge that there still an appetite for combat sports in Ireland be that MMA or Boxing.

Let’s see now into the future can Ireland now sustain the small bit of momentum garnered from the shows of the last few years. Will more promoters be willing to put up the money to have more shows in Ireland and give the next generation of fighters a chance to shine on a decent stage.

For Katie Taylor her long career as an amateur and professional has ended after many success and one or two disappointments over the years too of course. She spoke of her family in loving terms and also thanked her father Pete for his contribution to her career. They have had well-documented issues in recent times but Katie made sure in her final moments in a ring to recognise his efforts.

The talk of the greatest Irish sports person again reared its head immediately after on social media which of course is the 21^st century version of judge, jury and in some cases executioner. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but can we leave the greatest of all time chatter until another time and allow each event have its moment before we tear it to pieces.

I was also thinking of the late great Jimmy Magee on Saturday evening as Katie stepped into the ring and could hear his words in my ears from 2012 when he said “Katie Taylor champion of the Olympic Games” after her win in the Olympic Final.  He would have really enjoyed Saturday in Croke Park no doubt.

Enjoy whatever is next Katie with the family on both sides of the Atlantic….

Katie Taylor will end her professional boxing career on Saturday, 10 years after her debut in November 2016. She was Olympic Champion in 2012 guided by her father Pete and Zaur Antia. She has been a trail blazer for women’s boxing over the past 25 years.

Many of today’s stars in female boxing have spoken about Katie in glowing terms, Clarissa Shields, Terri Harper, Chantelle Cameron and on a domestic front Christina Desmond has spoken of her admiration for Katie.

Much will be written in the coming days about her farewell in Croker, thankfully she will get the send-off and to box in Croke Park which for the latter part of her professional career was a stated aim.

 I am thinking of Jimmy Magee as I type, who was the man in 2012 who commentated on her Olympic Final, he was the voice of Irish boxing along with Dave “boy” Mc Auley and Mick Dowling among others.

Boxing has long since disappeared from television screen in this country owing to outside factors that have been well documented so I won’t be going over old ground. Slowly though in recent times, that seems to be changing and we have had a number of shows involving plenty of Irish talent.

At amateur level, TG4 has carried the can and given the National Championships in boxing their time in the spot light. RTE has left well enough alone and will re-enter the boxing sphere on Saturday evening for the first time in many years and let’s hope it will be not be a 1 and done scenario by those in RTE who have shown in recent times that they can get it right covering sport outside of the usual namely GAA, Rugby and Football in particular.

The recent coverage of the European Swimming and Athletics Championships was evidence of how well they can do things on occasion. The great and the good will be out in force on Saturday for what does promise to be a truly special occasion that most likely will transcend sport given all that Katie has achieved in multiple sports over the past 20 + years.

For Katie, who will no doubt treat Saturday as if is her first day out, It will be a special one with family and friends out in force to support her on the big stage one last time. She will box Flora Pili of France to try and become a 3 time undisputed World Champion on home soil.

Brian Peters and Eddie Hearn deserve credit for making this happen and those at GAA HQ for allowing this event take place. It certainly will be one of those “where were you when moments”. I am grateful for the fact I have seen Katie box locally twice at amateur level and although I didn’t see her box live as a pro, I have continued like so many to follow her career on the World stage.

She could well have ended her career a few years ago but has continued into 40^th year in the hope of this final chance to end it on home soil in Croke Park which lasted hosted a boxing event in 1972 when Muhammed Ali fought Al “Blue” Lewis.

It’s a great bookend for Taylor as the “Greatest” Muhammed Ali was the last to box there and now one of women’s greatest Katie Taylor will pick up the torch on Saturday evening.

A number of good quality bouts will support the Taylor vs Pili fight, with people like Molly Mc Cann, ex UFC fighter and cousin of Taylor continue her fledgling boxing career while Paddy Donovan will go up against Tyrone Mc Kenna from Belfast.

 A number of other bouts will support the main event on the evening and it promises to be a good evening of boxing in the home of the GAA for the first time since 1972.

Taylor herself has come a hell of a long way since having to pretend to be a boy just to allow her to box in an event all those years ago. She has done so much for women’s boxing including fighting in a bout in front of Olympic officials that helped sway them to allow boxing have a place at the 2012 games where she won Gold.

To those travelling on Saturday, enjoy watching a genuine Irish sporting hero and legend in action on last time.

Katie, it’s been a pleasure and honour to see you fight and achieve all you have over the years….

Hi Nicola, It’s great to have the chance to speak with you !!

 

Can you tell me how you started out in boxing ?

I started boxing just attending the boxing gym to get fit. I was age 23 when I started. I was quite active as a child and in my teens but from leaving school I quite dancing and sports and was desperate to get my fitness back and do something.

How have you found sorting out sponsorship over the last few years ?

Sponsorship is very hard. When I first started no one knew who I was so it was hard and then covid hit. Some businesses who sponsored for my first 3 fights are now struggling so I’m constantly looking for new sponsors to come on board.

What sort of diet do you follow when you are training for a fight ?

I follow a good clean diet. Lots of fruit, veg, carbs for fuel when training

Could you talk me through the day of a fight, what does the day look like ?

Fight day, I try and chill and stay calm as much as possible. I love my friends and family to contact me as it takes me mind off the fight until it’s time to get in the ring.

Having had a good amateur career, what prompted the move to the professional ranks ?

I started boxing the same people in the amateurs and I also wanted a new challenge and move to the next level

Would you say your time as a dancer was a help when it came to helping your movements in the ring ?

My dancing definitely helped especially with my footwork. I’m quite light on my feet and have good balance from my dancing background.

Away from training and work, how do you like to relax ?

To relax I love to go on walks, like ride, watch tv, days out with friends and family.

What would you like to achieve in boxing ?

I want to achieve as much as I can and I trust my manager with push me at the right time.

Lastly Nicola, to any young girls that might want to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give them ?

To any young girls they need to believe in themselves and train hard. Nothing is impossible and if you train hard you can achieve your dreams.

Nicola, it’s been good to have the opportunity to speak with you, all the best for the future !!

Ireland has a new boxing World Champion in amateur Kelly Harrington who recently was crowned World Champion in India at 60kgs defeating Sudaporn Seesondae of Thailand. This win has been a long time coming for the hard working Dubliner who holds down a day job while still dreaming of Olympic glory at Tokyo 2020.

This victory just goes to show what hard work and dedication can do for you, she has served her apprenticeship and now the fact that she is a World Champion means she will be a marked woman at future Championships be they National, European or World level.

Having won Silver two years ago, Harrington was hoping to go one better which she did and then some. Her plan will be now to focus on the European Championships next June and then hopefully Olympic qualification after that, although the International Olympic Committee has stopped all planning for Tokyo 2020 at the moment while they conclude a number of investigations into the current AIBA President.

Here’s hoping those investigations will be concluded successfully and all our amateur boxers can go back to planning for Tokyo 2020. Kelly is a hard working and dedicated individual who has committed to winning Olympic Gold since the first day she picked up a pair of boxing gloves.

Her victory in New Delhi is another step forward on that long winding road to glory. It is a road that has had several bumps along the way along with several major highs that include World Gold, European Bronze, and World Silver from two years ago.

Kelly Harrington, World Champion has a lovely ring to it and you can be certain Kelly will do everything to make it to the 2020 Olympics and then make her dream of Olympic Gold a reality…..