Olaniyan Set For Katie Taylor ‘Pinch-Me Moment’ As He Eyes Muhammad Ali Milestone
Adam Olaniyan can’t help but express how great he feels to have his name mentioned alongside boxing’s greatest of all time this weekend.
The Tallaght heavyweight, who is being billed as Irish boxing’s great hope in some quarters, will fight on the Croke Park, Once Upon a Time Matchroom bill on Saturday.
The former underage amateur standout is overjoyed at the chance to share a ring with Ireland’s greatest sports star and the greatest female fighter of all time, Katie Taylor.
And to add to his joy, the 20-year-old Queensberry big man looks set to become the first heavyweight to throw a punch at GAA Headquarters since the Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali.
With Thomas Carty on the bill, there is a scenario where ‘The Bomber’ may be the first big man since the sporting icon to fight at the venue. However, with the BUI Celtic champion fighting Dave Alen in what should be the chief support and Olaniyan set for a more routine affair earlier in the card the Jobstown BC graduate is likely to get the privilege.
“I’d love to be the first heavyweight since Ali to fight at Croke Park,” said the boxer, who has impressed his way to 3-0 since turning over this year.
“I’d love to have that opportunity. Before I even get in the ring or throw a punch, my name would be in the history books.”
What is guaranteed is that the ambitious puncher will share the stage with Taylor, a fighter who has inspired him throughout his young career.
“She’s an icon. I wouldn’t say an icon, I’d say she is the icon. She’s like the sportsperson of Ireland, and to be sharing a card with her, that’s also a pinch-me moment because I’ve grown up watching her. I’ve watched Katie fight in the Olympics twice, I’ve watched her in the World Championships. I’ve seen her at the stadium loads of times when she was still an amateur, just mad stuff like that, and then to now be sharing a card with her, to be fighting on the same card, to be managed by the same manager [Brian Peters], it’s a proper full circle moment, really.”
That managerially link doesn’t just mean name association; the highly fancied prospect says the Olympic Champion and two-weight undisputed world champion has made herself available for advice and is always there in support.
“If I ever need her, she’s there. She’s on the other end of the phone, she’s never not there for me. It’s great to have someone like Katie, honestly.
“She is just the most down-to-earth person ever. She was in my dressing room in March and just to have someone like that, such an icon, such a lovely, lovely person, I couldn’t have asked for better.”
