Katie Taylor has confirmed her final professional fight will take place in Dublin this summer, with the 39-year-old stating her intention to end her career on home soil in 2026.
The Bray boxer, who announced in January that her career would conclude next year, has now specified that her farewell contest will be staged in the Irish capital, with Croke Park her preferred venue. Discussions around hosting a fight at GAA headquarters have taken place for several years without agreement, while the Aviva Stadium and 3Arena remain alternative options.
“We’re still trying to figure the details out but I do having one more fight this year. It’s kind of like my retirement fight. It has been an amazing journey, the whole lot of it, over these last 20 years,” Taylor said, according to RTE Sport. “I have had the highs and low. It has been an incredible, remarkable career and I always wanted to end it here in Ireland.”
“That’s what we’re hoping and preparing for, to have one last fight. It is going to be an amazing celebration,” she added. “I just want to fight in Dublin to end my career. Obviously we’re still hoping for Croke Park, we’re hanging on to a bit of hope that it can happen. If it doesn’t happen there are plenty of options there. I have obviously fought in the 3Arena a couple of times, the Aviva Stadium is also there.
“Croke Park would the top of the list. Fighting my last fight in our most iconic arena, how special would that be? I think it would be absolutely remarkable if I was able to do that. I’m not sure if it is going to happen or not. Either way, I’ll be ending my career here and I’m very, very excited about that.”
A finalised date and opponent have yet to be confirmed, although late summer appears most likely. With Croke Park hosting the All-Ireland finals during July, August could provide a potential window once the stadium’s pitch is no longer in use for football and hurling.
“I think the fight will happen in July or August some time. I’m not sure who the opponent is or what the date will be. I just know I’ll fight this year during the summer time and all the other details will be laid out in the coming weeks and months,” Taylor said. “Either way I’m in the gym for whenever and whoever it will be. I’m staying sharp and ready.”
Taylor is, in theory, the undisputed super-lightweight world champion, although the World Boxing Council has designated her ‘Champion in Recess’, with Sandy Ryan claiming the vacant belt by defeating Karla Ramos Zamora last weekend. Edith Soledad Matthysse also became interim champion with the World Boxing Association after upsetting Samantha Worthington in Detroit.
Taylor’s last outing came in July, when she completed a trilogy of victories over Amanda Serrano to retain her undisputed titles, and she indicated she hopes to acknowledge the support she has received throughout her career. “Irish people have been so amazing to me throughout my whole career, they’ve gotten behind me during those Olympic Games and followed my career all the way through the professional ranks,” she said.
“It means so much to me. I’m just so grateful for that support and so grateful to be Irish.”
