Katie Taylor Wins Final Fight of Boxing Career After Beating Flora Pili at Croke Park

Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor has ended her professional career with a dominant victory over France’s Flora Pili at Dublin’s Croke Park, bringing an emotional close to one of the most successful careers in women’s boxing.                                                                                                            

Taylor defeated the previously unbeaten Pili by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring the 10-round contest 100-90, 100-90 and 98-91 in her favour. The victory allowed Taylor to retire as the undisputed super-lightweight world champion.

The 40-year-old produced a composed and technically sharp performance in front of a huge home crowd, using her speed, movement and combinations to control much of the fight. Pili attempted to apply pressure, but Taylor repeatedly found ways to dictate the pace and avoid sustained attacks.

The fight was staged before a crowd of around 83,000 fans at Croke Park, fulfilling Taylor’s long-standing ambition of boxing at one of Ireland’s most iconic sporting venues. It was also the first major boxing event at the stadium since Muhammad Ali fought there in 1972.

Taylor’s victory also extended her remarkable professional record to 26 wins and one defeat. She leaves the sport holding the WBA, WBO, WBC, IBF and IBO super-lightweight titles, while her achievements also include Olympic gold at London 2012.

The occasion was about more than the result. Taylor became a trailblazer for women’s boxing, helping raise the profile of the sport and inspiring a new generation of female fighters in Ireland and around the world. Her retirement follows a career that included world titles across multiple weight divisions and landmark fights against some of the biggest names in the sport.

After the final bell, the atmosphere at Croke Park turned emotional as Taylor celebrated with her family, team and supporters. The farewell included fireworks and a performance by Irish group Westlife, adding to the sense that a major chapter in Irish sporting history had come to an end.

Taylor's final victory over Pili therefore provided the fairytale ending she had hoped for: a world-title win in front of her home fans, followed by retirement as an undisputed champion and one of the defining figures in the history of women's boxing.