In a stadium tinted in green, Ireland’s greatest Katie Taylor unleashed her speedy fists to win a convincing unanimous decision over France’s Flora Pili and become a three-time undisputed world champion on Saturday.
And then she bid farewell to more than 80,000 Irish fans.
“We brought back boxing to Croke Park,” said Taylor.
After more than 25 years of boxing in amateurs and pros, Taylor (26-1, 6 KOs) handily out-boxing Pili (12-1, 2 KOs) in front of more than 80,000 fans at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. She then symbolically placed her boxing gloves and world title belts in the middle of the ring after her final fight.
It was a crowning moment for the fighter they call “the Queen of Ireland.”
Taylor chose her moment, the locale and the opponent for her farewell fight to a sport that she helped bring to the forefront of the world along with Amanda Serrano and Claressa Shields.
Pili tried valiantly to beat Taylor who had the faster hands, faster feet and vastly more experience. The French fighter from Moselle, France walked into the ring attempting to punch with Taylor and time her blows. It proved largely ineffective.
It was Taylor’s show and she repeatedly demonstrated her jab and combinations that helped her win an Olympic gold medal in 2012. And she also showed the pro skills adapted such as a strong left hook and lead right cross that constantly stung Pili, especially in the third and sixth round.
Over the years as a pro, Taylor developed a good left hook that separates the pros from the amateurs. She used that punch effectively throughout the match with Pili. She also fired up speedy combinations that weren’t necessarily hard blows but drew the oohs and aahs from the Croke crowd.
Pili had several good rounds, especially in the seventh when she unloaded a five-punch combination with three very hard blows connecting. But Taylor always did have a good chin, as she demonstrated in her three fights with Serrano and two fights with Delfine Persoon. She could take a punch.
In the 10th and final round, Taylor looked to provide the crowd with something to remember her and unloaded two dozen blistering blows against Pili, who tried to match her. Nobody really could match Taylor’s speed, and the final round of her career ended with a blazing combination.
“She was actually a very awkward opponent,” said Taylor.
After 10 rounds, two judges saw Taylor the winner by 100-90 and a third at 98-91. Taylor wins a third undisputed championship and all the super lightweight belts. She also bid farewell to the boxing ring and fans and she heads to retirement and life without boxing.
“It’s been an amazing education,” said Taylor to the fans. “Imagine to get punched for a living.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn closed with these words. “She is the most inspirational person I’ve ever met. The greatest sports person of all time.”
Taylor retires as Ireland’s first and only Olympic gold medalist in boxing.
A three-time undisputed world champion, twice as a super lightweight and once as a lightweight.
Along with Amanda Serrano, they were the first females to headline a sold-out boxing card at Madison Square Garden. That fight also attracted more than 1 million pay-per-views in April 2022.
Taylor and Serrano fought a second time at AT&T in November 2024, and their fight had more than 74 million Netflix views to set a record for a female boxing bout.
