Taylor’s Torch – Pierce O’Leary Plans to follow Irish Great’s Croke Park Blueprint
Pierce O’Leary is ready to take the torch from Katie Taylor and wants to shine it in Croke Park.
The undefeated Dubliner believes he is the man to lead Irish boxing into the post Taylor era, believing Ireland’s greatest-ever fighter is about to hand him the blueprint to one day headline the country’s biggest sporting stage.
The Irish Icon brings the curtain down on her iconic career at Croke Park on September 5, and Big Bang hopes the fight night won’t be the last at GAA Headquarters.
“When Katie retires after this one, I think I’ll be the one to step in there and fulfil the spot,” O’Leary said of his 3Arena clash with Mark Camberlian this weekend.
“I have all the capabilities to do it, I have the team behind me and the work ethic.
“All I want to do is box, keep winning and fighting on the biggest stages. People say, ‘Where is your dream venue you would like to box at? Las Vegas, blah, blah,’ but no, it’s Croke Park.”
The Dublin Docklands graduate, who, like the Irish great, is managed by Brian Peters, has already begun to have an impact at home fighting back-to-back at the 3Arena.
The Queensberry boxer wants to stay at home and follow Taylor further into the Northside toward Jones’ Road.
“Once Katie smashes this and once again she is the blueprint, she did the 3Arena for me.
“And when she will do – and I know for a fact she will do – when Croke Park on September 5 is a successful night, she will give me the doorway again to go back there for a major unification I think.”
O’Leary revealed his Dublin leading man credentials when he stopped Maxi Hughes in a homecoming clash in March. The European title winner knew Dublin would come out, support and tempt Queensberry back. For that following he is very grateful.
“I am just blessed to have the people behind me and be the people’s champ.
“The likes of Ricky Hatton, he could pull crowds and I believe I am from a working class area. Doing what I am doing now, I can’t let the people down.”
