Katie Taylor prepares for historic Croke Park farewell
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Katie Taylor is set to make the final professional appearance of her career at Croke Park this weekend as she takes on unbeaten French boxer Flora Pili.
The Bray fighter will face Pili on Saturday, 5 September 2026, with around 80,000 fans expected at Croke Park.
Taylor, 40, enters the bout with a professional record of 25 wins and one defeat, including six victories by knockout. Her opponent Pili is unbeaten, with a record of 12–0, including two knockouts.
Undisputed titles on the line
Taylor will defend her WBA, WBO and IBF super-lightweight titles, while the vacant WBC super-lightweight title will also be contested.
A victory would see Taylor become a three-time undisputed world champion, adding another major achievement to an already historic career.
The event is also being billed as Taylor's career swansong, with the Irish boxer preparing to bring her professional career to an end on home soil.
Historic night at Croke Park
Saturday's event will mark the first professional boxing event at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali fought Alvin "Blue" Lewis in 1972.
The stadium has a listed capacity of 82,300, with around 80,000 spectators expected to attend Taylor's farewell.
Taylor's return to Dublin is particularly significant given that she did not have her first professional fight in Ireland until 2023, when she faced Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena.
Now, three years later, she is set to headline one of the biggest boxing events ever staged in Ireland.
Westlife to perform
The event will also feature a performance from Westlife, who have been confirmed to perform ahead of the main event.
Live prelims are scheduled to begin from 4pm, with the main fight-night programme starting at 7pm.
The fight will also be available free-to-air in Ireland on RTÉ, giving fans across the country the chance to watch Taylor's potential final professional fight.
For Taylor, the night represents the closing chapter of an extraordinary career and for Dublin, it will be a major sporting occasion in front of a packed Croke Park.
