Katie Taylor is gearing up for her first professional fight in Ireland, in Dublin on Saturday. Photo: Sportsfile/David Fitzgerald
This weekend marks Katie Taylor's Homecoming: her first professional fight in Ireland. However, this won't be the first time she's represented her country on Irish soil; she did so by winning 11 caps for the Ireland women's football team between 2006 and 2009.
It's no surprise that Taylor has achieved international success in two sports, she's so dedicated. The recognition of a «boring life» is contrary to the opinion of most boxers, but it characterizes the desire of Taylor as a pioneer of women's boxing.
In an unparalleled career in amateur boxing, Taylor won five consecutive gold medals at the World Championships, took gold six times at the European Championships and five times at the European Union Championships. Taylor, now 36, was also the flag bearer for Ireland, where she is adored, at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony when she won gold in the lightweight division.
15 years ago @KatieTaylor carelessly scored jump scares against the Italians, but later she did see a red light and Ireland lost 4-1.
(2008)@FAIWomen @EddieHearn @ballsdotie @offtheball @SecondCaptains pic.twitter.com/NPXiwNxfQW
– KillianM2 TV Archive (@KillianM2) May 14, 2023
Entering the professional ranks in 2016 under the banner of Eddie Hearn Matchroom Boxing, Taylor is now considered the No. 1 female boxer in the weight class. On Saturday night Taylor moves up in weight to challenge for the undisputed super lightweight title against Chantelle Cameron of Northampton in Dublin, 12 miles north of her birthplace in the sleepy seaside town of Bray, County Wicklow.
«When I'm not at camp, I just spend time at home with my family,» Taylor tells Telegraph Sport. “Anyway, I'm in the gym all the time, so I obviously keep fit and work out, but in the months I'm not at camp, I just live a very quiet life. It's probably very, very boring for other people.“I love nice long walks on the beach [in Bray] and it's a great place to live. I get a lot of invitations to events, but I'm not too fond of being the center of attention. I don't like the hype around the lifestyle, I guess I just personally prefer a quiet life with only my family, my niece and my nephews. This is my ideal life.”
On the contrary, there is nothing boring about Taylor's boxing style, nor is there anything about the noise that fans should see in her fight. Last April, Taylor and her Puerto Rican rival Amanda Serrano sold out New York's Madison Square Garden when the two women headlined the sacred arena for the first time.
Katie Taylor is on her way to a historic win over Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden. Photo: AP/Frank Franklin II win over Serrano by split decision in New York. Photo: EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Jason Szenes
Beat Cameron at Dublin's 3Arena and Taylor could take on Serrano again in front of 80,000 people at Croke Park in September. Hearn tried to bring this fight back to the home of the Gaelic games, but logistics got in the way—for now.
Of course, it would be great if this fight took place in Croke Park — it's the most iconic arena — but I'm just thrilled that the fight on the homecoming is happening, and I don't allow it influence my mental space,” says Taylor.
“I need to prepare for a big fight, so I focused completely on the fight itself. I have the chance to fight at home for the first time in my professional career, it will be an amazing evening for me.
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“All I ever wanted since I turned pro was to fight at home and now I have the chance to really do it. The atmosphere will be electrified.
«From time to time I think about walking around the ring, about the atmosphere and what it would be like to go out and see so many people — this will be one of the highlight nights of my career, if not the biggest night.»
Indeed, the atmosphere of a bear pit reigns at 3Arena, with huge stands creating a wall of deafening noise. “I was there for several events,” she says. “I went to see Conor McGregor fight one night, I've been to a few shows, so I'm very familiar with the arena.
“Great place with a great atmosphere. The McGregor event, for example, the atmosphere that night was absolutely insane, so it's going to be huge…”
Can we all just admire it. Story. @KatieTaylor @chantellecam pic.twitter.com/KsuOKAli1y
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) May 16, 2023
Cameron is the undisputed champion at 140 pounds and she will bring her a challenge, but Taylor says, «This is a fight I've actually wanted for a long time. We could have taken an easier route for my return home, like the mandatory challenger, but that's not what I'm talking about.
“I want to fight in the biggest fights, and this is the undisputed champion against the undisputed champion. I have a chance to become the undisputed champion in two weight classes, and these are challenges that I love very much.
“I want to be remembered as someone who was so passionate about his sport, but also as someone who never shied away from a challenge. I think when you see champion vs champion every time, that's the kind of fight that actually promotes women's boxing, makes headlines, and gets people talking about the sport.»
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