‘One of Those Girls Might Surpass My Achievements’ – Katie Taylor’s Croke Park Legacy Dream
Katie Taylor has won world titles, become undisputed champion and headlined some of the biggest arenas in boxing.
But as she prepares to walk away from the sport, the Irish icon insists her greatest legacy may have nothing to do with any of those achievements.
Instead, the Olympic Champion and is thinking about the young girls who will walk through the gates of Croke Park on Saturday night.
Thousands of them will watch a women’s boxing event for the first time.
And Taylor hopes some will leave with a dream.
“I’m imagining all the thousands of stories from the little girls who are at a boxing event for the first time on Saturday evening,” she says.
“In my mind’s eye, I’m imagining that one of those girls might fall in love with this beautiful sport and might even surpass my achievements.”
The Bray native, who has all but single-handedly made boxing a viable career for female boxers, has always taken great joy from the next generation’s success and seeing boxing gyms packed with females.
“That’s what legacy is all about,” she adds as her Croke Park farewell draws near.
“Just because of one amazing September day in Croke Park, they caught a dream. I cannot wait to hear those stories.”
For the Brian Peters Mentored boxer, the significance of Saturday stretches far beyond one final fight.
She knows exactly how difficult it once was for girls to find a place in boxing because she lived through those struggles herself.
“Every single time I step into the ring, I’m looking back on my own start as a boxer.
“As a nine- or 10-year-old, where I had to actually disguise myself as a boy to actually get a few fights.
“And I was walking to some boxing gyms as a young girl being sniggered at and laughed at because, ‘Who’s this girl trying to be a boxer?’
“And I had to earn people’s respect along the way. I’m so happy and delighted that these young girls come through now.
“They don’t have to go through the same struggles and adversity that I had to go through.
“The door is actually open for them.”
The Irish Icon believes the change is now visible everywhere she looks.
“You walk into every boxing gym now in the country, it’s packed with female fighters,” the 40-year-old adds.
“And that, to me, is the greatest part about this legacy. I’m so, so delighted to see everyone’s progress.
“We have one of the most amazing female boxing teams right now and that to me is part of my legacy as well.”
Saturday night, she believes, is the next Olympic moment or world title win. She hopes Croke Park can create even more inspiration.
“Saturday night is going to inspire a new generation.
“And like I said, I can’t wait to hear the stories of the tales of the girls who took up the sport.”
