She began her fistic career posing as a boy at a time when women’s boxing was restricted in Ireland. Last Saturday, Katie Taylor drew more than 82,000 fans to Dublin’s Croke Park for the final bout of a trailblazing career as one of the greatest female boxers in history.
The 40-year-old U.S.-based Bray native put on another clinic to outclass previously unbeaten Frenchwoman Flora Pili over 10 rounds. Taylor bowed out with a near perfect 26-1 [6 KO] ledger, and as a three-time undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO world super lightweight champion.
Pili, who’s 29, dropped to 12-1 [2 KOs] after her first loss.
“Croke Park! We did it,” Taylor applauded her enthusiastic fans. “I don’t think there’s another country in the world that would sell 80,000 tickets for a female athlete. This is beyond my wildest dreams! The people of Ireland gave me a dream end to a dream career. Nothing can top this. This was definitely the highlight of my whole career.”
Her final ring walk saluted by a fireworks display, Taylor proceeded to punctuate her decade-long pro career with a typically classy performance.
Her skills and athleticism undiminished by Father Time, she dominated her younger and game challenger with a combination of hand speed, movement, a quick left jab and relentless punching.
Still, Pili tried her best to make a fight of it even though it would take three rounds before she landed anything of substance on Taylor – two solid punches, first a left then a right hand that caught the champion’s attention.
The Frenchwoman had a little luck again in the sixth stanza with a straight right and left hook that appeared to momentarily worry Taylor. But it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Taylor resumed her dominance after that sweeping the remaining rounds and closing the show with a flurry of blows in the 10th and final stanza.
The scoring was no surprise. Two of the three judges had Taylor sweeping all 10 rounds [100-90], while the other generously gave Pili two rounds making it a 98-92 Taylor win on that card.
Taylor was deeply moved in the post-fight interview in the Croke Park ring, surrounded by her team, including her long time American trainer Ross Enamait, manager Brian Peters, her mother Bridget Taylor and promoter Eddie Hearn.
Said the 2012 London Olympic gold medalist: “I didn’t think anything could get bigger than London 2012 and then MSG came along. I didn’t think anything could get bigger than that first fight with [Amanda] Serrano and then here we are at Croke Park. I ended my career on top, like every athlete wants to do, on my terms, and I ended it as the undisputed champion.
“I started off this career and I had the dream of becoming an Olympic champion. I achieved that, but then these last 10 years have been beyond my wildest dreams. It’s been a remarkable 10 years.”
Hearn, whose Matchroom Boxing also guides the careers of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and undefeated IBF welterweight titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis, hailed Taylor as the most inspirational person he’s ever met, and as the greatest Irish sports person of all time.
Then left alone, Taylor symbolically placed her gloves in the center of the ring. Her team re-entered and placed her WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO championship belts alongside the gloves as the sold-out Croke Park serenaded her.
PADDY KO
It was a big night at Croke Park, too, for Taylor’s hitherto promotional stablemate Paddy Donovan. He stopped veteran Tyrone McKenna in four rounds to preserve his status as the IBF 147-pound mandatory title challenger.
The two southpaws had sparred numerous rounds early in Donovan’s career – when McKenna, who’s 37 and 10 years older, was already a seasoned pro. But the tables had clearly turned despite the latter’s intensive training camp in Philadelphia under coach Derrick “Bozy” Ennis, Boots’ father.
Paddy Donovan in action against Tyrone McKenna at Croke Park. [Inpho/Gary Carr]
Donovan, who’s co-managed by New York attorney Keith Sullivan and trainer Andy Lee, rocked McKenna with a big left hand to the temple in the first round then dropped him with a left uppercut in the second.
McKenna beat the count and attempted a fight back in the third stanza, at one time connecting with a hard right.
But youth would prevail over experience once Donovan stepped up the pace. A right cross hurt McKenna before a left hand opened a cut above his right eye. The fight doctor stopped the contest at 2:33 of the fourth round.
Donovan, whose next contest will now be a crack at IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro, upped his record to 16-2 [12 KOs]. McKenna is now 25-7-1 [8 KOs].
