Katie Taylor Finally Secures Croke Park Battle

Ireland boxing legend Katie Taylor has finally got her Croke Park fight! Originally from Bray, the World Champion will face off with Flora Pili at Croke Park on 5 September.

The fight is for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight Championship. However, Taylor will also be defending WBO, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine titles.

It will be the final bout of her career.

This is not the first time that boxing has featured at GAA HQ, the greatest champion of all-time Muhammad Ali having fought Alvin Lewis in July 1972.

"We've actually brought boxing back to Croke Park," Taylor said of her upcoming swan-song bout. "This is going to be the most iconic moment of my whole career.

"This seems like the perfect way to end it,” Taylor added, "by becoming Undisputed Champion again in our national stadium which has such a special place in Irish hearts. I'm so grateful that it's happening and I can't thank the people of this country enough for the support I have received over the years.”

Katie expressed her gratitude for the support she has received from the Irish public. The question now is:can she sell out the 82,000 tickets – a result that would guarantee her a fantastic final payday.

“People have travelled all around the world to follow my career,” she reflected, "and I'm hoping I can repay some of that with a big performance on September 5. I'm under no illusions that Flora will present a very tough challenge. She’s undefeated as a professional and has a good amateur pedigree so I have the utmost respect for her."

At the age of 28, Flora Pili is unbeaten in 12 professional fights. She previously held the European super-lightweight title and won the vacant IBO crown in December.

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who was the main driver in putting the long-dreamt of bout together, paid generous tribute to Katie Taylor.

"Going through her career, from sending a DM saying she wanted to turn pro to those Serrano fights, the Cameron bouts, the journey has been incredible," he said. "It'll be the biggest crowd in the history of female sport for an individual athlete. It’ll be one of the greatest sporting moments this country has ever seen. More important than that, it'll be her moment.”

Eagle-eyed music fans will have spotted that Aiken Promotions are also involved in the bout, along with sponsors like LIDL, Betfred, Riyad Season, That Prize Guy and ten percent club.

After an illustrious career as an amateur, during which she won Olympic gold, among 18 winners medals in all, Katie turned professional in 2016. Over the following decade, she fought 26 bouts and lost just one – to Chantelle Cameron, when she stepped up to Super-Lightweight in May 2023. However, later that year she won the return fight via a clear majority decision, taking the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring female light-welterweight titles.