If her entrance to the KCLR carpark on Saturday afternoon is anything to go by, you can be sure her arrival at Croke Park on 5 September will be something to behold.
‘Witness History’ adorns the side of a 261-registered 50-seater bus that’s taking Katie Taylor around the country for four days on the back of Matchroom Boxing announcing on Friday that Taylor’s retirement fight will take place on the hallowed turf at Croke Park this autumn. For Taylor, history is what awaits.
The current WBO, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine title-holder is set to take on unbeaten French standout Flora Pila for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight championship, the first time a professional boxing event has been staged in Croke Park since Muhammad Ali and Alvin Lewis clashed back in 1972.
Speaking to KCLR in studio this afternoon, Taylor says headlining Croke Park is beyond her wildest dreams.
“I’m very excited, by the way”, she told Oisin Langan, flanked by a video and photo crew while young fans watched through the studio windows. “Absolutely over the moon that this has finally gotten over the line, and just a huge thanks to my team for actually getting it over the line. This was, like, an impossibility a few months ago, and here we are.”
“ I can’t believe that the fight is actually happening. My dream venue, end of my career in Croke Park. This is phenomenal. This is definitely beyond my wildest dreams.”
A whirlwind few days
While Taylor is very much a Bray native, she’s been living in Connecticut (US) for several years. So how did she get news of the fight?
“ I actually got the phone call just a few days ago, actually four or five days ago by Brian (Peters, manager), and just to tell me that the contracts are all signed and it’s a done deal, and I couldn’t believe it.”
“So I got the first flight home, obviously, just to do all the promotional work. But this is a tough slog to get this over the line, and it’d be a huge thanks to Eddie (Hearn) and Brian and everyone involved. They’ve been absolutely tenacious in actually getting this over the line. So it’s been an amazing moment for me, and it feels a bit surreal to be honest. And it’s been a whirlwind of a few days, but what a moment it’s gonna be.”
“I was even having a conversation with Eddie and Brian after my last fight (a second consecutive win over Amanda Serrano in Madison Square Garden, July 2025) and saying, “It’s Croke Park or nothing for me. I’m gonna hang up the gloves if Croke Park doesn’t happen.”
“ I knew there was nothing else to chase after. The only thing that I had a passion for was Croke Park, and so here we are.”
A big risk
Media duties began at Croke Park on Friday with close on 200 journalists and reporters from all walks of the media taking in the big announcement, the hype train (technically, bus) continuing with visits to Virgin Media, Midlands 103, KFM and KCLR on Saturday. While there are a few days of press to do yet ahead of tickets going on sale this Friday, there’s much more work to be done to be fight-ready for September.
“It’s a real fight”, agrees Taylor when questioned on her opponent, unbeaten French boxer Flora Pili (12-0).
“It’s a real challenge, and I, it’s obviously very important that I end my career well. It’s very important that I actually win this fight, and it’s not gonna be an easy challenge.”
“She’s a big risk. She’s the IBO champion. She’s the number one challenger for the WBC belt. So this is a real fight, a real challenge, and I’m gonna be as hungry as ever stepping into that ring.”
“So now I have to get my head down and knuckle down and prepare for battle, basically. And just what I always do, lock myself away, and I’m gonna be beating my body into submission every single week in the lead-up to this fight to prepare for whatever comes my way on September the 5th. But I love the training camp. I love the feel of getting sharper and sharper every week. I love the build-up to the fights. So it’s gonna be a very exciting few months, but it involves a lot of hard work, and I can’t wait for that.
One for the fans
Before staying around the studios for photos with visitors and tacking on a quick visit to Kilkenny’s camogie clash with Offaly in UPMC Nowlan Park (live on KCLR Plus), Taylor had one closing message for her own fans and supporters.
“Thank you so much for all your amazing support, and September 5th is gonna be an amazing celebration of Irishness”, she said with a grin in studio, conversation drifting from the sounds of ‘olé, olé, olé’ in Madison Square Garden and Dallas.
“I love that because I carry the Irish so proudly myself. I love the fact I can represent my country every single time I step into that ring, and I just wanna, I wanna put on a performance. a world-class performance, and end my career on a high. It’s very important I get my hands raised at the end of that night to become a three-time undisputed champion, and I can’t wait.”
“Honestly, I’m just overwhelmed. I can’t believe that people spend their hard-earned money to come watch me fight, and I’m just so grateful. This is for them as much as it is for me as well.”
“I just wanna thank them for all their support, thank them for their support and the respect that they’ve given me over the years, and the respect that they’ve given women’s boxing over the years as well. I’ve often been given praise for the rise of women’s boxing over these last few years, but the sport is where it is because the Irish people bought into it, and the Irish people have proven themselves the best in the world time and time again.”
“And for that, I’m just forever grateful”
Katie Taylor meets Flora Pili at Croke Park, Saturday 5 September 2026, live worldwide on DAZN, promoted by Matchroom Boxing, in assocation with Aiken Promotions, Brian Peters and title event partner Lidl Ireland. Tickets are on sale this coming Friday morning from Ticketmaster.ie, with 25% of tickets set to sell under €40 plus booking fee and additional family-rate tickets being advertised. Pre-sales begin on Wednesday.
Listen: Katie Taylor speaks to KCLR about Croke Park fight this September
Listen back to the full interview below.
