‘Everything and more’: Katie Taylor on her chart-topping finale

Katie Taylor reflected that her final ring walk was “everything I expected and more” after the Irish icon’s final bell at Croke Park.

Taylor retires as a three-time undisputed world champion after a unanimous decision win over French challenger Flora Pili in front of a sold-out, raucous Croker.

The 40-year-old from Bray took the acclaim of the  83,000 capacity before, during and after her 10 rounds, the last verses of her storied career.

“Everything I expected and more,” Taylor said at her post-fight press conference. 

“Thankfully I was able to hold my emotions together. I was getting emotional all week speaking about this event. The last few months, preparing for this, were emotional, but the atmosphere was so special. This was a special night, beyond my wildest dreams.”

The 216th and last ring walk of her career was extra special.

By the time the knock to the door came for Taylor, the stadium was long-since hopping. From deep in the bowels of the Hogan Stand, Taylor’s face emerged on the scene.

The Westlife mini-concert – it was that sort of a night – had ceased and eyes were only on one moment. Taylor was the only chart-topper here.

Taylor never took the easy route. 

Ever since the young teenager had her hair tied up, hidden in the headgear to disguise the fact that a girl was throwing the punches, Taylor has paved the way. She essentially forced the old suits of the International Olympic Committees (IOC) to put women’s boxing on the Olympic Games roster and then won lightweight gold in 2012.

Even in the pro ranks, Taylor changed the game.

If the Hogan Stand tunnel was where Taylor was expected to emerge from, the Bray women had another idea. From the corner of the Hogan and Davin Stands, Taylor came out to a deafening, thundering din.

She said: “The walk out is always special, but 83,000 people there tonight, the screams of the people . . . the atmosphere was insane.

“Special. Just goosebumps. Just feeling the atmosphere of the crowd. I was able to take my time and just soak it all in. At one stage, I was just looking around. I just can’t believe it to be honest, the response to this event.”

Before her two jousts with Chantelle Cameron in 2023, Taylor’s last fight in Ireland was a Tralee hotel.

Here, the country and all of its cousins tuned in for one last hurrah.

“Tonight was a dream ending to a dream career,” Taylor said. “What a way to end it. I don’t think there is another country in the world that would sell 83,000 tickets for a female athlete. I am convinced that Ireland is the only country that will do that. 

“What a way to end this absolutely amazing journey. It has been an absolute dream. I started off this career with the dream of becoming an Olympic champion. These last 10 years have been beyond my wildest dreams. I didn’t think that this was even possible. It has been a remarkable 10 years.

“I wanted to put on a performance worthy of everyone’s support over the years. It probably wasn’t a career-best performance, but at least I got the win. I just wanted to get a win in front of my home fans, just to say thank you to them. I don’t think there is a fighter in the world who gets the support that I do. I just have gratitude in my heart.

“This was definitely the highlight of my whole career – and that’s saying something. I didn’t think that anything could get bigger than London in 2012 and then MSG came along and I didn’t think then that anything could get bigger than the first Serrano fight and now here we are in Croke Park. This is definitely the highlight of my whole career.

“I’m ending on top, which every athlete wants to do, and I’m ending on my terms as the undisputed champion. It was so important for me all along to end my career well.”