Young fan Leanne meets Katie Taylor after the weight in. Picture: ©INPHO/James Crombie
They came from far and wide to acclaim the High Queen of Ireland, and that was just the weigh-in — if Katie Taylor had any doubt about her eternal place in Irish hearts, a packed Trinity College Dublin showed her otherwise on Friday.
Ahead of her farewell battle in Croke Park on Saturday night, the crowds gathered outside the college to hail the woman who changed women’s sport forever, daring millions of girls around the world to dream that they too could one day hold Olympic gold, and earn glittering title belts, life-changing prize money, and hallowed sporting status in the sweet science that is professional boxing.
With the Greatest of All Time moniker thrown around far too easily in modern sport, there are only a handful of immortals who lay true claim to the status — Taylor is among that elite handful.
She signs off her storied career in front of 80,000 fans on Saturday night when she bids to become a three-time undisputed world champion by defeating the unbeaten Flora Pili of France.
“I still pinch myself that this is actually happening — I will be making my last ring walk at Croke Park,” the 40-year-old said. “This is an absolute dream.
“In front of 80,000 people, it’s going to be an amazing night for Irish sport, for Irish boxing, and just for women’s sport in general. I’m blown away by the support.”
As a determined nine-year-old intent on boxing, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist had to disguise herself as a boy to get an amateur bout, yet Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says she is now paid “more than 99% of male fighters”.
Mr Hearn was initially sceptical about signing Taylor when she turned professional in 2016 but was won over by her passion, and while she received only £6,000 for her debut against Karina Szmalenberg at Wembley Arena, the ‘Bray Bomber’ was soon demanding her true worth.
“Katie still has a go at me for paying her six grand!” Mr Hearn said. “It was for a four-rounder, and that was a lot of money at the time in women’s boxing.
“We’ve had two heated conversations since I signed her. Number one, she fought against Cindy Serrano in Boston in 2018 and sold out most of the arena on her own.
“Tevin Farmer was on the card, and she asked me over breakfast the next day how much he was paid. I told her that it was three times as much as she made.
“She said ‘do you think that’s fair?’ I told her no, but that’s the world and where we are right now. She wanted to know how she could sell more tickets and more people tune in to watch her fight, yet he’s making three times as much.
“I said because he’s a man and that’s what you need to change, and we’re on the way.
“Now she’s making more than 99% of male fighters out there.”
