Christina Murphy does a deep dive into the Irish legend, Katie Taylor’s, life as her final fight slowly approaches.
Katie Taylor has confirmed that her last and final fight will occur this summer. The woman is a force to be reckoned with, holding a near-perfect professional record as of 2025. She had an unmatched amateur career, securing five consecutive gold medals at the World Championships and six at the European Championships. She is now a dual-weight undisputed champion in boxing as she has successfully unified all four major world title belts in two different weight classes during her careers. This is one of the highest honours a boxer can receive, demonstrating their brilliance and their dominance.
When it comes to boxing and women's sports, she has put Ireland on the map. She has fundamentally changed women’s boxing forever, and her name will leave a legacy. Thanks to Katie the sport is now viewed as a legitimate and respectable sport that is thriving in Ireland.
She has fundamentally changed women’s boxing forever.
Boxing in Ireland has always been successful, stemming from resilience and cultural pride often rooted in local community clubs in working-class areas. However, when she started boxing in the 1990s, there was no place for women in the arena. When she took an interest in boxing, it wasn’t because she wanted to change the industry, but rather because of her love and passion for the sport. She acted as a boy, tucking her hair out of sight and giving the name “K Taylor”, in order to disguise herself. She couldn't have imagined the international phenomenon she would become.
She came from a family of men who loved the sport and taught her to fight, so when she first stepped foot in the ring she already knew a thing or two about how to throw a punch. She pioneered the sport until the Irish boxing authorities were forced to relent and let her fight legally, knowing she would continue fighting either way. In October of 2021, at only fifteen years old, she competed in the first officially sanctioned women’s boxing match in Ireland and defeated Alanna Audley at the National Stadium in Dublin.
After bringing home Olympic Gold in 2012, there has since been a mass increase in women taking up boxing across Ireland. She proved that the sport wasn’t just for men. The success in the professional competition created a surge in popularity and participation across Ireland, and the world. This also meant that the media were now more focused than ever on women's boxing, and how it was changing the game.
She has become the one-woman catalyst when it comes to the commercialisation and increased popularity of professional women's boxing within Ireland and around the world. She has headlined major venues such as Madison Square Garden which gained 1.5 million viewers in 2022. She has built her image and reputation through brilliant performances, making her one of the elites, proving that women’s boxing could sell based on skill alone rather than looks or “trash talk”. Her fights have been streamed on major platforms like Netflix in the past attracting a massive international audience.
After Katie retires, the Irish boxing scene will shift from the golden era she created, to focusing on and nurturing new and upcoming talent. Following in the footsteps of Katie Taylor, led by Olympic contenders and rising pros like Daina Moorehouse, Jennifer Lehane, and sisters Aoife and Lisa O'Rourke, will be the ones to keep our eyes on now.
Considering her final fight, there is a bit of controversy surrounding where it will be held this summer. Katie has made it publicly known that she would like her last fight to take place in Ireland’s very own Croke Park. The stadium has held concerts, rugby, football, and much more. It has become a place of Irish heritage and pride and would be a fitting backdrop for the end of an Irish legend’s career. After the NFL raked in over 51 thousand visitors to Dublin and 104 million euro in economic activity, promoter Eddie Hearn worries that a fight with a predominantly Irish fanbase wouldn’t be worth the cost, despite all that the woman has done for the sports industry in Ireland.
It would be a fitting backdrop for the end of an Irish legend’s career.
However, there are still other options for her arena, such as the Aviva Stadium. Her opponent is still yet to be announced, although potential opponents like Caroline Dubois, a 135lb contender, have been mentioned in non-official speculation. This fight is one to watch as it will conclude her 20-year long career as one of the most successful and noble fighters of all time.