The scenes around Croke Park today ahead of Katie Taylor’s historic boxing match were jovial, emotional and all-round great craic.
But when The Journal started speaking to people in Drumcondra, one theme firmly stuck out the most: for women, tonight is much bigger than a single boxing match.
Read Kate Henshaw’s piece about how much this historic night meant here
Katie Taylor speaking to RTÉ: “I’m blown away, to be honest with you. I’ve dreamt of this moment for a few years now, it’s been absolutely remarkable. Beyond my wildest dreams. The dream ending to the dream career, I’m so grateful. Nothing can top this, absolutely nothing.”
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
21 mins ago
11:07PM
Katie Taylor went out as she came in 30-odd years ago, her canvas oiled in a masterpiece.
In a whir of leather, she punched out of work for the final time, stinging Flora Pili like an angry swarm of bees before floating like a butterfly into the sunset.
The first boxing headliner at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali in 1972, Taylor lived up to the billing. She always has done.
Taylor remembers those her family have lost in recent times, before a lovely moment with her husband Sean and a special thanks to God, as she realms off Psalm 18.
Eddie Hearn is on the mic now, and he invites Taylor to walk around the ring one last time as her glove and belts are placed in the middle.
Extraordinary scenes, truly beautiful moments.
36 mins ago
10:51PM
“She was a very awkward opponent, a great opponent, Flora Pili. Thank you for being part of this night,” says Taylor, as she runs through heartfelt thanks to her team.
She gives a big shoutout to her father, Pete. “Thanks for everything Dad, I love ya!”
“There’s nothing like an Irish Mammy, but you’ve been more than that,” she smiles with a huge embrace for Bridget. “You’re the absolute best Mam, thank you so much.”
Lovely words for her siblings, too. “We’ve been on some adventure, imagine what it’s like for them watching their sister get punched for a living!”
40 mins ago
10:47PM
“Croke Park, we did it – we brought boxing back to Croke Park!” says Taylor.
“Every one of you here, you were with me all the way. You travelled around the world to watch me. Now you are here with me in this amazing stadium. I can’t get over (it).
“I don’t know any other country that would sell 80,000 tickets for a female athlete, I’m convinced it’s only Ireland.
Emotional scenes as her team join her in the ring; Taylor raising her arms, surely signing off with a win. ‘Celebrate good times’ is the song played, the result is imminent…
47 mins ago
10:40PM
Round Ten
Taylor continues on the front foot, as expected, looking to finish in style. Olé, olé brings her home, the noise as the clock counts down unbelievable. And the last 10 seconds, she goes for it, emptying the tank. Ding, ding, ding. Sin é.
50 mins ago
10:37PM
Round Nine
Taylor continues to dominate, ghosting Pili as the Frenchwoman tries desperately to get something going. But it’s all Taylor. This is her night. Two minutes to go.
‘The last lap,’ says Enamait. ‘Enjoy it now!’
54 mins ago
10:33PM
Round Eight
Pili again looks to get on the front foot, her corner urging her to attack. But Taylor is responding with some big punches, and has got that left hook going. Normal service resumes. ‘High-level boxing, fantastic stuff from KT,’ says Donovan.
57 mins ago
10:30PM
Round Seven
Pili with her best round yet, enjoying a bit of momentum and catching Taylor a few times. But the home hero has responded well, and still looks very comfortable.
Taylor with a big right hand right down the throat, and she rocks Pili twice with more combinations. In typical Katie fashion, she has grown into this fight and looks to be loving it. Big shot to finish the round.
1 hr ago
10:25PM
Round Five
Some more lovely combinations from Taylor, who is far too quick for Pili as she uses the ring brilliantly. She’s well and truly in her groove as, ‘Katie, Katie’ rings out. Ross Enamait barks out instructions as she returns to the corner.
Taylor with quick combinations from the outset, but few land. As I type, two good shots stick as her confidence seems to grow. Pili is throwing punches, but few are landing. Pili guarding herself against Taylor’s hooks. ‘Katie Taylor is just a step ahead,’ says Donovan, who reckons her corner will be very happy.
1 hr ago
10:18PM
Round Three
Pili comes out of the traps faster, looking to take a more commanding position. Again, she’s looking to lure Taylor in and hoping to capitalise on a mistake. Good work from Taylor, landing shots and getting out of the way in the last few seconds.
Eric Donovan has Taylor 3-0 up as the bell sounds.
1 hr ago
10:16PM
Round Two
Pili is trying to draw Taylor in, relying on a counter-punch tactic, but it’s fair to say Taylor has been around the block and her experience tells early doors. She’s happy to do most of the work, again landing a few decent hits as Pili hits the ropes momentarily.
1 hr ago
10:12PM
Round One
Katie Taylor looks to control the action from the off, flying out of the traps and assuming a central position in cagey opening exchanges. She eventually lands a few good shots, Pili is staying calm, but the home hero finishes with a nice jab.
‘There’s only one Katie Taylor,’ the crowd sing.
1 hr ago
10:09PM
‘Fighting out of Bray, county Wicklow, Ireland… Olympic gold medallist and a two-division undisputed world champion…
‘For more than a decade, she has carried Irish boxing to the biggest stages on earth, and tonight she brings it all home. The first fight in this stadium since the great Mohammed Ali.
‘And now for the final time in her career…
‘KAAAAATIEEEEE TAYYYYYLLLOOOORRRRRRR!!!!!’
1 hr ago
10:06PM
DING, DING! Introductions are, once again, drowned out by Olés. Taylor and Pili are ready to go.
‘THE STAGE IS SET, AND WE ARE HERE! THE TIME HAS COME!’
1 hr ago
10:01PM
The noise is deafening as Katie emerges in her black and gold trim, she looks calm and comfortable but is surely holding back huge emotion. She’s singing along and soaking up the moment, happily staring down the camera at times.
Croke Park is lit up in green, white and orange; fireworks going off. This is it.
1 hr ago
9:58PM
KAAAAATIEEEEE TAAAAAYLORRRRRR!
Here. She. Comes.
1 hr ago
9:56PM
Flora Pili is on her way to the ring, a few boos ring out before the Olés.
Now, are you ready for possibly the best ring walk of all time?
1 hr ago
9:53PM
The camera pans to Katie in the tunnel…
SHOWTIME.
1 hr ago
9:50PM
Róisín O and Aoife Scott are performing now, ‘Grace’ getting another airing and the Croke Park crowd are loving it. They will now sing Amhrán na bhFiann.
“Katie is a true role model and inspiration for everyone in Ireland – not just in sport, for everyone in Ireland,” Shane Lowry tells RTÉ ringside.
Rory McIlroy, Ed Sheeran, Bono and Niall Horan follow suit with some lovely video tributes, while other Irish sporting stars have been sharing well wishes.
Annmarie says she brought Hannah to Bray seafront when she was four when the Olympics were on, so they decided to return tonight.
Christina Finn / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal. / The Journal.
Marie Keogh from Wolfetone in Bray says she couldn’t get tickets to Croke Park so coming down to the seafront to watch the fight was the next best thing. She says win, lose or draw, the Bray people will still love her.
As undercards go, that was… underwhelming. Quick stoppages for both Taylor Bevan and Paddy Donovan, followed by a no-contest between Thomas Carty and David Allen that was as bizarre as it was brief. There’s only one fight left on the card, and that’s the main event, which isn’t due to ringwalk until 10pm. I wouldn’t like to be the promoters right this second, as that currently feels like an eternity away, and there’s only so much that the stadium DJ can do to fill the gap (we’ve already had Put Em Under Pressure twice). Has anyone seen the Westlife lads around the place?
- Another update from Niall Kelly in the press box
‘Bizarre,’ as Carl Frampton describes the entire situation, but the most important thing is Carty seems to be okay. A real pity, but they’ll go again.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
2 hrs ago
9:03PM
‘No contest’ confirmed as boos ring around Croke Park, both fighters having left the ring. Carty was receiving oxygen after the fall, but was able to vacate. So disappointing and frustrating for the Dubliner.
2 hrs ago
9:00PM
So a replay appears to show Carty taking a punch to the back of the head, and then pretty much nose-diving out through the ropes. The DAZN commentators are suggesting a ‘no contest’ as confusion reigns. Discussions continue as we await the decision.
2 hrs ago
8:56PM
Eeeeek! Carty has fallen through the ropes in round one. I’m not entirely sure what happened, would need to see a replay, but he’s been out of the ring for quite some time. He wasn’t knocked out but is receiving medical attention, looks like his night is over.
2 hrs ago
8:46PM
‘Grace’ rings out around Croke Park as Thomas Carty prepares to make the walk to face Dave Allen in the chief support fight… and we move into ‘Put ‘em Under Pressure’!
Allen emerges to ‘My Way’ as the noise continues to ramp up, and we break into ‘Fields of Gold’ before an interesting heavyweight encounter.
Croke Park is pretty full now, and it is LOUD. What it will be like in an hour or so?
Christina Finn / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal. / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal. / The Journal.
Christina Finn here, Bray native, political editor with The Journal but for tonight, Bray correspondent for Katie’s last fight. Large crowds are expected on Bray seafront this evening. The county council has organissed a Seafront Fan Zone, where the fight will be broadcast on a big screen. The family-friendly fan zone has a capacity of around 1,500.
The area has been set since early afternoon but crowds have been building for the last two hours, with many bringing their own chairs, and getting a front row seat in front of the big screen telly. The merch is of course, on point, with Katie Taylor scarfs and hats a popular choice among those in the crowd. I’ll be bringing you all the latest from Bray and hopefully chatting to some of Katie’s fans.
Stay tuned to The 42 and The Journal for all the latest.
The Real Deal! Paddy Donovan‘s hand is raised as he defeats Tyrone McKenna by TKO in the fourth round.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile, Katie Taylor tells DAZN that she is “very, very excited” and “pinching herself” after driving in past huge crowds and tricolours around 7pm.
“I’m going to be myself in there. Hopefully I box smart, and box to my best. All the hard work is done, I’m just going to go out there and enjoy it.”
The Journal also spoke to Éanna Greene, whose niece Clodagh fought Flora Pilli, Taylor’s opponent tonight, in France in 2015.
Greene described Taylor as a “heroine”, saying “she’s come from small beginnings”.
Greene said that he has known Taylor since she was small, and she has “pushed out the boundaries” and “made boxing for ladies in the world the biggest thing ever”.
“This is a historic night and a massive night for Ireland. If anyone says who represents Ireland… I think Katie Taylor is one of the first names that come up.”
The sun’s setting over Drumcondra, and inside Croke Park, the crowd is slowly starting to fill. The stands couldn’t have been any more than half-full for the opening fight on the main card – a Taylor win, but not the one that the fans were hoping to see – but now as Limerick’s Paddy Donovan prepares to walk to John Denver’s iconic Take Me Home, Country Roads, you can feel the first sparks of electricity flicker through the stadium. Come 10pm, this place is going to be hopping.
In the first fight on the main card, Emmett Brennan has been stopped by England’s Taylor Bevan.
Worrying times there as the Irish Olympian was knocked down twice in quick succession in the sixth round, the bell ringing after the second. But thankfully, he’s back on his feet and helped out of the ring as his undefeated record comes to a disappointing an end.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Here’s a run through of the undercard results…
Paul Ryan beat Paddy Gallagher by unanimous decision (58-55)
Adam Olaniyan beat Majek Hudak by TKO (Rd1)
Bobbi Flood beat Jack Swallow by unanimous decision (40-36)
All was quiet on Bray Seafront earlier, but it will be a very different scene come 10pm or so as their favourite daughter takes to the ring for the final time.
Christina Finn / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal. / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal.
Christina Finn / The Journal. / The Journal.
The crowd has been descending on Croke Park steadily across the afternoon and evening, with the noise and colour building.
Katie Taylor fans outside Croke Park before the big fight tonight. Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie
Katie Taylor fans mother Deirdre with Blake aged 13, father Paul and Tyler furphy aged 15 outside Croke Park before the big fight. Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie
Fans Avril and Claudia Lenehan outside Croke Park before the big fight. Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie
All eyes on Croke Park as one of the great Irish sporting careers comes to a close.
Katie Taylor is seeking a fairytale farewell against Flora Pili at a sold-out GAA HQ.
What a night in store, what a career and legacy. Trailblazer, icon, legend.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
There’s plenty of action before The Big One, and we’ll keep you up to date right here.
Emma Duffy here at base, while The 42‘s Gavan Casey and Niall Kelly are in position at Croke Park. We also have The Journal‘s Kate Henshaw and Christina Finn soaking up the atmosphere outside the stadium and in Taylor’s hometown of Bray respectively.
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LIVE: Katie Taylor v Flora Pili, Croke Park farewell
LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago
The scenes around Croke Park today ahead of Katie Taylor’s historic boxing match were jovial, emotional and all-round great craic.
But when The Journal started speaking to people in Drumcondra, one theme firmly stuck out the most: for women, tonight is much bigger than a single boxing match.
Bray buzz
Some footage from Katie Taylor’s hometown, courtesy of Christina Finn, as Bray bids farewell to its favourite daughter.
Katie Taylor speaking to RTÉ: “I’m blown away, to be honest with you. I’ve dreamt of this moment for a few years now, it’s been absolutely remarkable. Beyond my wildest dreams. The dream ending to the dream career, I’m so grateful. Nothing can top this, absolutely nothing.”
Katie Taylor went out as she came in 30-odd years ago, her canvas oiled in a masterpiece.
In a whir of leather, she punched out of work for the final time, stinging Flora Pili like an angry swarm of bees before floating like a butterfly into the sunset.
The first boxing headliner at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali in 1972, Taylor lived up to the billing. She always has done.
Greatness.
Taylor remembers those her family have lost in recent times, before a lovely moment with her husband Sean and a special thanks to God, as she realms off Psalm 18.
Eddie Hearn is on the mic now, and he invites Taylor to walk around the ring one last time as her glove and belts are placed in the middle.
Extraordinary scenes, truly beautiful moments.
“She was a very awkward opponent, a great opponent, Flora Pili. Thank you for being part of this night,” says Taylor, as she runs through heartfelt thanks to her team.
She gives a big shoutout to her father, Pete. “Thanks for everything Dad, I love ya!”
“There’s nothing like an Irish Mammy, but you’ve been more than that,” she smiles with a huge embrace for Bridget. “You’re the absolute best Mam, thank you so much.”
Lovely words for her siblings, too. “We’ve been on some adventure, imagine what it’s like for them watching their sister get punched for a living!”
“Croke Park, we did it – we brought boxing back to Croke Park!” says Taylor.
“Every one of you here, you were with me all the way. You travelled around the world to watch me. Now you are here with me in this amazing stadium. I can’t get over (it).
“I don’t know any other country that would sell 80,000 tickets for a female athlete, I’m convinced it’s only Ireland.
“Let me just look around for a second – INSANE!”
KATIE TAYLOR WINS BY UNANIMOUS DECISION.
THREE-TIME UNDISPUTED CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
Emotional scenes as her team join her in the ring; Taylor raising her arms, surely signing off with a win. ‘Celebrate good times’ is the song played, the result is imminent…
Round Ten
Taylor continues on the front foot, as expected, looking to finish in style. Olé, olé brings her home, the noise as the clock counts down unbelievable. And the last 10 seconds, she goes for it, emptying the tank. Ding, ding, ding. Sin é.
Round Nine
Taylor continues to dominate, ghosting Pili as the Frenchwoman tries desperately to get something going. But it’s all Taylor. This is her night. Two minutes to go.
‘The last lap,’ says Enamait. ‘Enjoy it now!’
Round Eight
Pili again looks to get on the front foot, her corner urging her to attack. But Taylor is responding with some big punches, and has got that left hook going. Normal service resumes. ‘High-level boxing, fantastic stuff from KT,’ says Donovan.
Round Seven
Pili with her best round yet, enjoying a bit of momentum and catching Taylor a few times. But the home hero has responded well, and still looks very comfortable.
Round Six
Taylor with a big right hand right down the throat, and she rocks Pili twice with more combinations. In typical Katie fashion, she has grown into this fight and looks to be loving it. Big shot to finish the round.
Round Five
Some more lovely combinations from Taylor, who is far too quick for Pili as she uses the ring brilliantly. She’s well and truly in her groove as, ‘Katie, Katie’ rings out. Ross Enamait barks out instructions as she returns to the corner.
Round Four
Taylor with quick combinations from the outset, but few land. As I type, two good shots stick as her confidence seems to grow. Pili is throwing punches, but few are landing. Pili guarding herself against Taylor’s hooks. ‘Katie Taylor is just a step ahead,’ says Donovan, who reckons her corner will be very happy.
Round Three
Pili comes out of the traps faster, looking to take a more commanding position. Again, she’s looking to lure Taylor in and hoping to capitalise on a mistake. Good work from Taylor, landing shots and getting out of the way in the last few seconds.
Eric Donovan has Taylor 3-0 up as the bell sounds.
Round Two
Pili is trying to draw Taylor in, relying on a counter-punch tactic, but it’s fair to say Taylor has been around the block and her experience tells early doors. She’s happy to do most of the work, again landing a few decent hits as Pili hits the ropes momentarily.
Round One
Katie Taylor looks to control the action from the off, flying out of the traps and assuming a central position in cagey opening exchanges. She eventually lands a few good shots, Pili is staying calm, but the home hero finishes with a nice jab.
‘There’s only one Katie Taylor,’ the crowd sing.
‘Fighting out of Bray, county Wicklow, Ireland… Olympic gold medallist and a two-division undisputed world champion…
‘For more than a decade, she has carried Irish boxing to the biggest stages on earth, and tonight she brings it all home. The first fight in this stadium since the great Mohammed Ali.
‘And now for the final time in her career…
‘KAAAAATIEEEEE TAYYYYYLLLOOOORRRRRRR!!!!!’
DING, DING! Introductions are, once again, drowned out by Olés. Taylor and Pili are ready to go.
‘THE STAGE IS SET, AND WE ARE HERE! THE TIME HAS COME!’
The noise is deafening as Katie emerges in her black and gold trim, she looks calm and comfortable but is surely holding back huge emotion. She’s singing along and soaking up the moment, happily staring down the camera at times.
Croke Park is lit up in green, white and orange; fireworks going off. This is it.
KAAAAATIEEEEE TAAAAAYLORRRRRR!
Here. She. Comes.
Flora Pili is on her way to the ring, a few boos ring out before the Olés.
Now, are you ready for possibly the best ring walk of all time?
The camera pans to Katie in the tunnel…
SHOWTIME.
Róisín O and Aoife Scott are performing now, ‘Grace’ getting another airing and the Croke Park crowd are loving it. They will now sing Amhrán na bhFiann.
‘Olé, olé’ rings out after Westlife finish up with a, ‘Thank you guys, we love you!’
Matchroom’s brilliant promo video with Barry Keoghan is playing now. (You’ve surely seen it, but incase not…)
Ah, back to the potential for tears… You Raise Me Up. The phone flashlights are out and the singalong is in full flow.
“We’re going to light up Croke Park for Katie Taylor tonight, and show the whole world how much she means to this country,” says Shane Filan.
Hold off a minute, it’s Westlife time!
Shane, Kian and Nicky – decked out in white suits – start with World Of Our Own.
Who’s cutting onions?
“Katie is a true role model and inspiration for everyone in Ireland – not just in sport, for everyone in Ireland,” Shane Lowry tells RTÉ ringside.
Rory McIlroy, Ed Sheeran, Bono and Niall Horan follow suit with some lovely video tributes, while other Irish sporting stars have been sharing well wishes.
In the zone
And the latest from Christina Finn in Bray…
Katie Taylor fans Hannah and her mum Annmarie on why they came out to the Bray seafront fan zone to watch tonight’s fight.
Annmarie says she brought Hannah to Bray seafront when she was four when the Olympics were on, so they decided to return tonight.
Marie Keogh from Wolfetone in Bray says she couldn’t get tickets to Croke Park so coming down to the seafront to watch the fight was the next best thing. She says win, lose or draw, the Bray people will still love her.
As undercards go, that was… underwhelming. Quick stoppages for both Taylor Bevan and Paddy Donovan, followed by a no-contest between Thomas Carty and David Allen that was as bizarre as it was brief. There’s only one fight left on the card, and that’s the main event, which isn’t due to ringwalk until 10pm. I wouldn’t like to be the promoters right this second, as that currently feels like an eternity away, and there’s only so much that the stadium DJ can do to fill the gap (we’ve already had Put Em Under Pressure twice). Has anyone seen the Westlife lads around the place?
- Another update from Niall Kelly in the press box
‘Bizarre,’ as Carl Frampton describes the entire situation, but the most important thing is Carty seems to be okay. A real pity, but they’ll go again.
‘No contest’ confirmed as boos ring around Croke Park, both fighters having left the ring. Carty was receiving oxygen after the fall, but was able to vacate. So disappointing and frustrating for the Dubliner.
So a replay appears to show Carty taking a punch to the back of the head, and then pretty much nose-diving out through the ropes. The DAZN commentators are suggesting a ‘no contest’ as confusion reigns. Discussions continue as we await the decision.
Eeeeek! Carty has fallen through the ropes in round one. I’m not entirely sure what happened, would need to see a replay, but he’s been out of the ring for quite some time. He wasn’t knocked out but is receiving medical attention, looks like his night is over.
‘Grace’ rings out around Croke Park as Thomas Carty prepares to make the walk to face Dave Allen in the chief support fight… and we move into ‘Put ‘em Under Pressure’!
Allen emerges to ‘My Way’ as the noise continues to ramp up, and we break into ‘Fields of Gold’ before an interesting heavyweight encounter.
Croke Park is pretty full now, and it is LOUD. What it will be like in an hour or so?
Bray buzz
Christina Finn here, Bray native, political editor with The Journal but for tonight, Bray correspondent for Katie’s last fight. Large crowds are expected on Bray seafront this evening. The county council has organissed a Seafront Fan Zone, where the fight will be broadcast on a big screen. The family-friendly fan zone has a capacity of around 1,500.
The area has been set since early afternoon but crowds have been building for the last two hours, with many bringing their own chairs, and getting a front row seat in front of the big screen telly. The merch is of course, on point, with Katie Taylor scarfs and hats a popular choice among those in the crowd. I’ll be bringing you all the latest from Bray and hopefully chatting to some of Katie’s fans.
Stay tuned to The 42 and The Journal for all the latest.
The Real Deal! Paddy Donovan‘s hand is raised as he defeats Tyrone McKenna by TKO in the fourth round.
Meanwhile, Katie Taylor tells DAZN that she is “very, very excited” and “pinching herself” after driving in past huge crowds and tricolours around 7pm.
Outside Croke Park and around Drumcondra, Kate Henshaw has been busy chatting to fans.
Lily and June Mulcahy from Cork told The Journal that they had gone to see Taylor four years ago and “couldn’t miss” the final fight tonight.
They said that she is a “super role model for kids in Ireland”, as well as a “really humble girl”.
The Journal also spoke to Éanna Greene, whose niece Clodagh fought Flora Pilli, Taylor’s opponent tonight, in France in 2015.
Greene described Taylor as a “heroine”, saying “she’s come from small beginnings”.
Greene said that he has known Taylor since she was small, and she has “pushed out the boundaries” and “made boxing for ladies in the world the biggest thing ever”.
“This is a historic night and a massive night for Ireland. If anyone says who represents Ireland… I think Katie Taylor is one of the first names that come up.”
The sun’s setting over Drumcondra, and inside Croke Park, the crowd is slowly starting to fill. The stands couldn’t have been any more than half-full for the opening fight on the main card – a Taylor win, but not the one that the fans were hoping to see – but now as Limerick’s Paddy Donovan prepares to walk to John Denver’s iconic Take Me Home, Country Roads, you can feel the first sparks of electricity flicker through the stadium. Come 10pm, this place is going to be hopping.
- Niall Kelly checks in from the press box
Meanwhile, the woman of the moment is looking relaxed in her dressing room.
In the first fight on the main card, Emmett Brennan has been stopped by England’s Taylor Bevan.
Worrying times there as the Irish Olympian was knocked down twice in quick succession in the sixth round, the bell ringing after the second. But thankfully, he’s back on his feet and helped out of the ring as his undefeated record comes to a disappointing an end.
Here’s a run through of the undercard results…
Paul Ryan beat Paddy Gallagher by unanimous decision (58-55)
Adam Olaniyan beat Majek Hudak by TKO (Rd1)
Bobbi Flood beat Jack Swallow by unanimous decision (40-36)
Joe McGrail beat Matthew Boreland by KO (Rd5)
Molly McCann beat Sylwia Doligala by unanimous decision (80-72, 80-73, 79-73)
All was quiet on Bray Seafront earlier, but it will be a very different scene come 10pm or so as their favourite daughter takes to the ring for the final time.
The crowd has been descending on Croke Park steadily across the afternoon and evening, with the noise and colour building.
Here. We. Go.
All eyes on Croke Park as one of the great Irish sporting careers comes to a close.
Katie Taylor is seeking a fairytale farewell against Flora Pili at a sold-out GAA HQ.
What a night in store, what a career and legacy. Trailblazer, icon, legend.
There’s plenty of action before The Big One, and we’ll keep you up to date right here.
Emma Duffy here at base, while The 42‘s Gavan Casey and Niall Kelly are in position at Croke Park. We also have The Journal‘s Kate Henshaw and Christina Finn soaking up the atmosphere outside the stadium and in Taylor’s hometown of Bray respectively.
A night for the ages beckons. Enjoy it all!
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