Katie Taylor’s final fight: what to know about Saturday’s bout at Croke Park

The final bell approaches

Katie Taylor steps into the ring at Croke Park on Saturday night for what she says will be the final fight of her professional career. The bout, against unbeaten French fighter Flora Pili, will be shown free-to-air on RTÉ 2, with Irish fighters on the undercard from 8pm and Taylor's ringwalk expected after 10pm.

For fans who may have drifted from the sport since the era of Bernard Dunne, The Irish Times has offered a primer on the fight's essentials: Taylor's signature punches include hooks, crosses, and uppercuts, and her footwork — particularly her "check hooks" — has been central to her success against pressure fighters like Pili in previous bouts.

The guide also breaks down the scoring system: the winner of each round receives 10 points, the loser nine, with further deductions for knockdowns — eight if knocked down once, seven if knocked down twice. It notes Taylor's tendency to neglect her jab in favour of her bigger punches, a habit that has shaped her fighting style over the years.

A farewell in Dublin

Taylor, 38, has described the homecoming bout as a dream. Speaking through Matchroom Boxing, the Irish champion said she is approaching her final fight with gratitude rather than sadness.

"The emotions I'm going to be feeling fight night are not sad emotions, they're very, very happy emotions and I'm very, very grateful," she said. "My dream venue, at home, this really is the stuff of dreams."

She also acknowledged the challenge Pili brings to Dublin: "She's coming to spoil the day," Taylor said. "It's a great opportunity for her."

Asked whether she considers herself the best female fighter of all time, Taylor demurred. "I think that's for other people to say, but I certainly have never ever ducked any opponents throughout my whole career," she said, per Matchroom Boxing and Bad Left Hook. "I've tried to fight the best. I've tried to put on some amazing performances, I've tried to elevate the sport."

The bout marks the end of a career that has spanned more than two decades, from an Olympic gold medal to an undisputed professional championship. Across that run, Taylor has beaten Amanda Serrano, Chantelle Cameron and Delfine Persoon.

A champion's farewell

Speaking ahead of the fight, Taylor said she is approaching the occasion with joy rather than sadness. "The emotions I'm going to be feeling fight night are not sad emotions, they're very, very happy emotions and I'm very, very grateful," she said, per Bad Left Hook. "My dream venue, at home, this really is the stuff of dreams."

Taylor acknowledged that Pili arrives in Dublin intent on spoiling the occasion. "It's a great opportunity for her, isn't it? She's coming to spoil the day," Taylor said.

Asked whether she considers herself the greatest female boxer of all time, Taylor demurred: "I think that's for other people to say, but I certainly have never ever ducked any opponents throughout my whole career. I've tried to fight the best. I've tried to put on some amazing performances, I've tried to elevate the sport."

What to watch for

Those looking to sound like experts on Saturday might do well to note that Taylor has a habit of neglecting her jab in favour of bigger punches Bullseye — and can get drawn into wars when she might instead box more economically. Her check hook, the counterpunch she throws while pivoting away from an advancing opponent, has been a key weapon in previous fights against pressure fighters such as Pili.

The officiating, too, follows a strict arithmetic: the winner of a round takes 10 points, the loser nine, dropping to eight with a knockdown and seven with two. Reading a fight on the cards means watching which fighter controls the exchanges and lands the cleaner work — and, in Taylor's case, whether she can resist the urge to abandon her jab for the bigger shots.

Taylor herself has played down any sadness around the occasion. Speaking to Matchroom Boxing, as carried by Bad Left Hook, she said the emotion on fight night will be happiness, not sorrow. "The emotions I'm going to be feeling fight night are not sad emotions, they're very, very happy emotions and I'm very, very grateful," she said. "My dream venue, at home, this really is the stuff of dreams."

She acknowledged that Pili arrives in Dublin intent on spoiling the occasion. "It's a great opportunity for her, isn't it? She's coming to spoil the day," Taylor said.

Asked whether she considers herself the best female fighter of all time, Taylor demurred. "I think that's for other people to say, but I certainly have never ever ducked any opponents throughout my whole career," she said. "I've tried to fight the best. I've tried to put on some amazing performances, I've tried to elevate the sport."

The bout caps a career in which Taylor has beaten Amanda Serrano, Chantelle Cameron, and Delfine Persoon, among others. But observers note a tendency: Taylor is known to neglect her jab in favour of her bigger punches, a habit that has produced close fights against pressure fighters. The Sunday night bout at Croke Park brings the curtain down on a 22-year professional career, from Olympic gold to undisputed world titles at multiple weights.

Taylor's outlook

Taylor told Matchroom Boxing that she approaches the fight with gratitude rather than melancholy. “The emotions I’m going to be feeling fight night are not sad emotions, they're very, very happy emotions and I'm very, very grateful,” she said, as reported by Matchroom Boxing and carried by Yardbarker.

“My dream venue, this really is the stuff of dreams,” she added. She acknowledged that Pili arrives in Dublin with the intention of spoiling the occasion. “It's a great opportunity for her, isn't it? She's coming to wreck the day,” Taylor said.

Asked whether she considers herself the best female fighter of all time, Taylor demurred. “I think that's for other people to say, but I definitely have never ducked any opponents throughout my whole career,” she said. “I've tried to fight the best. I've tried to put on some amazing performances, I've tried to elevate the sport.”

The bout caps a career that has seen Taylor defeat Amanda Serrano, Chantelle Cameron, and Delfine Persoon, and it comes against an undefeated challenger in Pili. First bell is scheduled for Saturday at Croke Park.