Katie Taylor Retires Undefeated Champion at Croke Park

Irish Boxing Legend Closes Career in Dublin

Katie Taylor capped her legendary boxing career with a dominant victory over previously undefeated Flora Pili on Saturday night at Croke Park in Dublin. The 40-year-old Irish boxing icon won by unanimous decision in front of an estimated 80,000 to 83,000 fans at Ireland’s premier sporting venue, retiring as the undisputed world super-lightweight champion.

Taylor dominated her 29-year-old French opponent over 10 rounds, with judges scoring the bout 100-90, 100-90 and 98-91. The Irish champion added the vacant WBC super lightweight title to her collection of WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO and Ring Magazine belts. Taylor finished her professional career with an impressive 26-1 record, while Pili suffered her first defeat in 13 fights.

The outcome became clear well before the final bell, with the crowd already celebrating as Taylor unleashed a relentless attack. “Croke Park! We did it,” Taylor told the roaring crowd after a final onslaught pushed Pili to the ropes in a flurry of punches. “Every one of you here helped me win.”

Olympic Glory and Career Milestones

Taylor walked to the ring for the final time to the sounds of ‘All Hail King Jesus,’ with emotion written across her face as fireworks lit up the night sky over the Gaelic games stadium. She had called Croke Park the “Cathedral of Irish sport” and got her final career wish-to fight at Ireland’s most iconic sporting venue.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist from London thanked the crowd for their decade-long support.

“You were with me in London 2012, you got me through the heartbreak of Rio (2016, where she lost in the quarter-finals), you stayed with me when I turned pro, you travelled around the world to watch me – Boston, Brooklyn, Manhattan — now you’re here with me,” Taylor said.

Irish band Westlife entertained the massive crowd before the fight, adding to the celebratory atmosphere at the historic venue. The attendance marked an extraordinary turnout for a women’s boxing event, something Taylor recognized as unique.

“I don’t know of any other country that would sell 80,000 tickets (for women’s boxing). Ireland is the only country,” she had said earlier.

Dominant Performance Against Tough Opponent

Taylor controlled the fight from the opening bell, landing blows at will throughout the contest. By the midpoint of the 10-round fight, there was no doubt Taylor had won every round. In the sixth round, she unleashed a devastating three-punch triple combination of right and left hooks that drove her opponent back on her heels.

Pili showed resilience despite the onslaught, coming back in the seventh round to remind Taylor there was still danger in what proved to be her best period of the fight. However, the Irish champion’s experience and skill proved too much for the French challenger. Taylor described her opponent as “very awkward” and a “great” fighter, acknowledging the challenge she presented.

At the end of the bout, after the interviews, emotional tributes and family embraces, Taylor walked around the ring before placing her gloves in the center according to boxing tradition. The array of championship belts-from the WBO, WBA, WBC, IBO, IBF and Ring Magazine-lay spread out before her on the canvas, testament to her decade-long dominance in professional boxing.

Historic Madison Square Garden Fights

Taylor’s professional career included several landmark moments beyond Saturday’s finale. In April 2022, she beat Amanda Serrano at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in what became the first women’s boxing match to headline the arena. The pair fought three times in total, with Taylor victorious each time, most recently in 2025.

These high-profile bouts helped elevate women’s boxing to unprecedented heights, drawing massive audiences and proving that female fighters could headline the sport’s most prestigious venues. Taylor’s success opened doors for future generations of women boxers and cemented her status as a trailblazer in the sport.

Croke Park’s Boxing Heritage

Saturday’s event continued Croke Park’s boxing history, which dates back to 1972 when Muhammad Ali fought at the venue. Ali touched down in the Emerald Isle in July 1972 for a 12-round non-title fight against Alvin “Blue” Lewis, which took place 16 months after Ali lost to Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden.

Ali stopped Lewis in the 11th round in front of an estimated 20,000 fans. While that attendance was impressive for its time, Taylor’s farewell fight drew four times as many spectators, demonstrating the remarkable growth of women’s boxing and her status as one of Ireland’s greatest sporting heroes.

Legacy of Excellence

Taylor retires as Ireland’s first female Olympic boxing champion and one of the most decorated female boxers in history. Her 10-year professional career built upon her amateur success, which included that golden moment at the 2012 London Olympics. The emotional support from fans who remembered both her triumphs and her 2016 Rio quarter-final heartbreak underscored her deep connection with Irish supporters.

The 80,000-plus fans who packed Croke Park witnessed history, celebrating not just a victory but the conclusion of a career that transformed women’s boxing. Taylor’s ability to sell out Ireland’s largest sporting venue for a women’s boxing match speaks to her transcendent appeal and the sport’s evolution under her influence.

“Every one of you here helped me win,” Taylor emphasized, highlighting the crowd’s importance in her remarkable farewell performance.