Katie Taylor more admired than McGregor – World champ is Ireland #1 sports star
Katie Taylor has seen off tough opposition to prove once again she is one of Ireland’s greatest ever sports stars.
This time the competition didn’t come inside a ring as the unified world lightweight champion was once again confirmed Ireland’s Most Admired Sports Personality, according to a new survey.
The all-time female fighting great, who defends her WBA and IBF straps against Cindy Serrano in Boston on October 20th, came in ahead of the Irish football team’s assistant manager Roy Keane and MMA superstar Conor McGregor, who came third.
The survey by sponsorship advisers ONSIDE found Taylor to be the most admired sportsperson for the second year in a row, with McGregor moving down from the runner-up place last year.
The award comes on the back of another amazing year for the trail blazer.
The Bray fighter won her first professional world title in October 2017, against Argentina’s Anahi Sanchez then defeated another Argentine in Victoria Bustos to add the IBF lightweight belt to her WBA crown after a successful Jessica McCaskill defence.
The award may prove that their is enough support to finally bring Taylor home and enough following to sell out the 3Arena. To win the gong back to back without having the same presence in Ireland speaks volumes of the love at home for the fighter.
The rest of the top ten is made up heavily by rugby star, with Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara and Johnny Sexton all featuring.
It is completed by Ireland’s all-time leading football goalscorer Robbie Keane, golfer Padraig Harrington, and athletics legend Sonia O’Sullivan.
John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE described how “digging behind individual performances, Taylor’s dominance in appeal among the Irish female public is undisputed, while McGregor’s strong point remains among 18-24 year olds in Ireland, where he is the clear No.1 superstar.”
31-year-old Taylor faces Serrano at the TD Garden in two-and-a-half weeks time, with Matchroom’s Stateside plans looking set to continue.
A homecoming in Cork has been mooted by both promoter Eddie Hearn and Sky Sports Head of Boxing Adam Smith but, at this point in time, is still in the ‘pipe dream’ stage.
