Katie Taylor’s glittering boxing career will draw to a close on Saturday night at her “dream venue” and with the message a simple one: “Let’s go one more time”. Taylor will aim to retire as a three-time undisputed world champion when she takes on unbeaten Frenchwoman Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans at Croke Park in Dublin. The 40-year-old, who weighed in at 139.6lbs for the super-lightweight showdown compared to Pili’s 139.9lbs, done it all in boxing. Her accolades including winning Olympic gold in London in 2012 and, along with Amanda Serrano, becoming the first woman to headline a fight card at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden.
She also avenged her sole pro defeat, against Chantelle Cameron. But she has never fought at Croke Park before – until now. While fight week, quite rightly, has seen the great and good of boxing and beyond praise Taylor’s career, hail the inspiration she has been and discuss the legacy she will leave, the woman herself is not looking beyond Pili. Speaking shortly after hitting the scales on Friday evening, the Bray Bomber, said: “My mind is focused on the fight.
I have a job to do against a very tough challenger. “I have built my reputation on always taking the tough fights, so why treat my last fight any differently? This is what I was born for, this is what I was made for. Let’s go one more time.” Taylor did, though, turn to address her fans at the weigh-in, many of whom will also be rooting for her inside the stadium this weekend.
“I am blown away. I want to put on a performance worthy of the support I have had these last few years “You guys have carried me throughout the Olympics and my whole career. Thank you so much. I am so grateful.
“I am so excited. I have been dreaming about this for the last few years and I am one day away from ending my career in a dream venue in front of all these amazing people.” Former world champion Carl Frampton, speaking on DAZN, feels the lure of a bout at Saturday’s prolonged Taylor’s time as an active fighter. He said: “She has completed the sport but I think one of the reasons she held on was the dream of fighting at Croke Park. She has finally got it.
“Katie is an absolute hero to so many people, an inspiration. It is a perfect way to finish – but she has to win first and we can’t rule out Pili who is a very good fighter.” But is it definitely it for Taylor – or is a return to the ring possible? Three-weight world champion Mikaela Mayer added: “Katie has always been very true to her word. “If she says this is her last fight, I believe it to be.
If she wants to come back, I would not be upset about it. We’d love to see her again. “I am benefitting off of her hard work and everything she has helped create for the women in this sport. I am sad as I had always hoped to share the ring with Katie.”
