Taylor to retire after Dublin bout later this year

Katie Taylor has confirmed she will bring the curtain down on her decorated career after a farewell fight in Dublin this summer.

The two-weight undisputed world champion has not fought since she won her trilogy fight with Amanda Serrano in New York last July.

On Wednesday, the 39-year-old Irishwoman said she remains hopeful her swansong fight will take place at Croke Park.

"I just want to fight in Dublin to end my career," she told RTE.

"Obviously we're still hoping for Croke Park, we're hanging on to a bit of hope that it can happen.

"If it doesn't happen there are plenty of options there. I have obviously fought in the 3Arena a couple of times, the Aviva Stadium is also there.

"Croke Park would the top of the list."

On her career, Taylor added: "It has been an amazing journey, the whole lot of it, over these last 20 years.

"I have had the highs and lows. It has been an incredible, remarkable career and I always wanted to end it here in Ireland."

The opponent, date and venue for Taylor's final fight have not been confirmed.

August would be a more likely date for a Croke Park bout as the iconic Dublin stadium is hosting the latter stages of the All-Ireland Hurling and Football Championships throughout July.

In September, Taylor was named 'Champion in Recess' by the World Boxing Council (WBC) after informing the sanctioning body of her plans to take some time away from the sport.

Last week, Briton Sandy Ryan claimed the vacant belt with victory over Mexico's Karla Ramos Zamora in Nottingham.

Taylor has a 25-1 professional record with her only defeat coming against Britain's Chantelle Cameron in Dublin in 2023.

After avenging that loss to become a two-weight undisputed champion later that year, Taylor recorded wins over Serrano in November 2024 and July 2025 having already overcome the Puerto Rican in April 2022.

"I'm not sure who the opponent is or what the date will be," added Taylor, who won an Olympic lightweight gold medal in 2012 before turning pro in 2016.

"I just know I'll fight this year during the summer time and all the other details will be laid out in the coming weeks and months.

"Either way I'm in the gym for whenever and whoever it will be. I'm staying sharp and ready."

When Taylor hangs up her gloves, she will do so as one of the greatest boxers of all time and, perhaps, as the greatest athlete Ireland has ever produced.

Taylor has been boxing for more of her life than she hasn't, taking up the sport aged 12 and making her amateur debut in 2001.

But she grew up in an Ireland so deeply sexist, women weren't even allowed to drink in the same pubs as men let alone fight in a ring.

Her influence and her drive helped usher in a new era for women's rights in sports.

She fought in the first legalised women's bout aged 15 against fellow Irishwoman Alanna Nihell. She became a multiple-time world champion before winning an Olympic gold medal in 2012.

Taylor revolutionised the professional game and alongside her contemporaries, smashed through the glass ceiling and brought women's boxing to the pinnacle of the sport.

She is also one of five boxers, male or female, to become undisputed champion in two weight classes in the four-belt era.

Taylor has always carried herself with grace and humility, always paying tribute to the women who came before her, those who laid the path for her like her hero Deirdre Gogarty.

She has represented Ireland with dignity and excellence. But she still has one more dream – to fight at Croke Park in front of as many of her people as possible.

Costs have scuppered that dream to date, but perhaps the opportunity of a fairytale ending for an Irish icon will be bring one last dream to fruition.

Who could argue she doesn't deserve it?