Katie Taylor has won 26 of her 27 fights as a professional
Katie Taylor ended her illustrious career as a three-time undisputed world champion as Croke Park gave one of Ireland's greatest sporting figures the grandest of farewells on a night of celebration, spectacle and music.
The 40-year-old outclassed unbeaten Flora Pili on points in front of 80,000 jubilant fans to add the vacant WBC belt to her WBA, WBO and IBF light-welterweight titles.
With the footwork, speed and sharp pressure fighting that defined her career, Taylor produced one final stylish performance against the overmatched Frenchwoman to win by scores of 100-90, 100-90 and 98-91.
Promoter Eddie Hearn paid tribute to Taylor, calling her "Ireland's greatest sportsperson", before she took one final lap of the ring, waving to the crowd before ceremonially placing her gloves and belts in the centre of the canvas.
After almost a quarter of a century in the sport, Taylor – an Olympic champion, two-weight world champion and one of the pioneers of women's professional boxing – finally got her fairytale ending at her dream venue.
She bows out with a record of 26 wins and just one defeat, but this was about more than one final result.
It was a night steeped in Irish pride, with a spine-tingling atmosphere and chart-topping pop group Westlife helping provide a fitting send-off.
Taylor signs off career in style with unanimous decision win against Pili – reaction
Tears, blood & triumph – Taylor's iconic career in pictures
Katie Taylor was roared on by over 80,000 fans at Croke Park
On an unforgettable night for the city, around 80 per cent of those inside Croke Park had never previously attended a boxing event, but turned out to honour a fighter who dragged women's sport from the margins and took an entire nation on her journey.
The crowd was the sixth largest recorded post-war attendance for a boxing event anywhere in the world. By early evening, the stands were awash with green and white, tricolours draped over shoulders.
Westlife performed 'World of Our Own' and 'You Raise Me Up', with tens of thousands joining in as phone lights flickered around the towering tiers of Croke Park.
The atmosphere softened for an a cappella version of 'Grace', the well-known Irish ballad linked to the 1916 Easter Rising, before the national anthem rang out.
