Taylor's place among greats set in stone after extraordinary swansong

ByDavid Mohan

BBC Sport NI journalist at Croke Park

"There's nothing like an Irish family."

Katie Taylor addressed the Croke Park crowd as she paid tribute to her mother Bridget, but her extended family of 83,000 inside Croke Park and many more tuning in will have known this one was for them too.

Fairytale endings in boxing are a rarity, but Taylor is no ordinary fighter and her swansong proved as extraordinary as the fighter and person.

After 30 years lacing up the gloves, Taylor, 40, sails off into the sunset after the most perfect of farewells in front of 83,000 adoring fans at Dublin's iconic Croke Park, just three miles from the scene of her first official bout 25 years earlier.

The final act in the ring was to sweep past Flora Pili to cement her legacy in Ireland and beyond, bowing out as a three-time and two-weight undisputed champion.

It was a night of celebration, cheers and plenty of tears as fans and peers turned out for her victory lap, showing love and appreciation for a career which thrilled and inspired in equal measure.

"It was everything I expected and more," Taylor said at her final post-fight news conference.

"Thankfully I was able to hold my emotions together tonight as I was getting emotional all week and the last few months' preparation was so emotional.

"The atmosphere was so special. I was beyond my wildest dreams - what a special night."

Before her hand could be raised in the ring, there were battles to be won outside of it.

Born in 1986 as the youngest of four children to former Irish champion father Peter and mother Bridget - one of Ireland's first female officials - the very notion of women's boxing in Ireland appeared fanciful.

While older brothers Lee and Peter were welcomed into the boxing fold, Katie became K from Bray - a girl hiding her identity to simply compete in an exclusively male environment.

The fighting spirit and determination which characterises her sporting prowess is as much a feature of her personality, and in 2001 as a 15-year-old she took part in the first sanctioned women's bout in Ireland since it was outlawed following future world champion Deirdre Gogarty's 1991 debut in Limerick.

Perhaps fitting, as five years earlier, Taylor wrote to role model Gogarty, expressing frustration at the lack of opportunities to compete and outlining her dreams of one day being allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.

Prophetic words, as it was her exceptional talent on display in front of International Olympic Committee members in 2007 which convinced them to add women's boxing to the programme for London 2012.

All eyes were on her as Katie mania grew throughout the Games - her victory over Sofya Ochigava in the lightweight final a moment of national sporting joy comparable to the heady days of Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland teams at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups - the Excel arena transformed into a small corner of Ireland on an unforgettable day.

A recognised star in Irish boxing circles was now a household name, her humble and gracious manner winning the hearts of a nation that has remained firmly in her corner.

"The 'ole ole oles' carried me all over the world: to Leeds, to Manchester, Brooklyn, Boston, Dallas, Manhattan," she reflected.

"This night is so special because I wanted to put on a performance for them. I don't think it was a career-best performance, but I got the win for them, just to say 'thank you'."

Her star did not dim despite a disappointing Rio Games in 2016, and while Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn took convincing to take a punt on her as a professional, the faith has been repaid in spades.

Within three years, Taylor was undisputed champion at lightweight, rising from undercard to centre stage as she carried out her promise to do for women's professional boxing what she had achieved as an amateur, all to a chorus of the aforementioned 'ole ole oles' from the support which followed her every move.

A seminal night in 2022 saw her defeat Amanda Serrano at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in a fight of the year contender - the first time a women's bout had headlined the famous arena, a major turning point for the female code.

They would trade leather a further two times after Taylor had avenged her sole professional career defeat by Chantelle Cameron to become a two-weight champion.

Perhaps that was the perfect way to sign off, but the Croke Park itch had to be scratched and while those gates seemed destined to remain locked, Taylor's status made it happen.

Could she fill such a vast stadium? Of course. Perhaps the doubters did not grasp the reverence in which the softly spoken yet inspirational woman from Bray is held.

While her trophy cabinet is overflowing with gold medals and world title belts, perhaps her greatest legacy is leaving women's boxing in a vastly better place than she found it - that Serrano trilogy lifting women's boxing to new heights.

Taylor broke through the barriers with a grace which belied the obstacles she faced yet her quiet determination and humble nature will serve as an example of what can be achieved by belief, hard work and a refusal to accept her lot as young girls can now walk the path she laid.

Fierce inside the ring yet unassuming outside of it - even factoring in an impulse-buy speedboat, since sold - superlatives such as trailblazer, icon and Ireland's greatest sportsperson are not hyperbolic, for Taylor's status as a legend is in no way cliched.

She has indicated she will remain in the sport, but for now, there is time to savour an extraordinary career, with her place among boxing's greats set in stone.

Irish boxing is going to be a lesser place.

"I'm retired now so I can eat what I want, but I'm just going to enjoy a nice celebration and look back on a dream ending to a dream career.

"My story is the story of everyone in this room: we all have our ups and downs. I think people resonate with your vulnerabilities and your successes - saw me cope with the heartbreak of Rio, the Chantelle Cameron loss and personal difficulties.

"My story is the story of everyone in this room."