Katie Taylor will sign off her glittering professional career as a three-time two-weight undisputed world champion if she beats Flora Pili at Croke Park on September 5th.
It has been confirmed that Taylor will fight the 28-year-old French woman at the stadium where a press conference will take place this afternoon to announce the fight.
The match is being promoted by Eddie Hearn for Matchroom Boxing, in association with Aiken Promotions, Brian Peters and Title Event Partner, Lidl Ireland.
General sale for tickets goes live at 9am on Friday, June 12th. Cusack/Davin and Hogan stand prices start at €38.70 – with tickets for a family of four (in a non-alcohol area of the stadium) at €125.50.
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Pitchside prices range from €106.25 to €1,505.50. All tickets via Ticketmaster are subject to a max service charge of €10.50.
Presale for Matchroom Boxing Fight Pass members opens at 9am on Wednesday, June 10th. Lidl customers with the Lidl Plus App will be able to avail of presale exclusively from 10am via the Lidl Plus App, with Croke Park residents able to purchase from 10am also.
“This seems like the perfect way to end it – by becoming Undisputed Champion again in our national stadium which has such a special place in Irish hearts,” said Taylor in a statement.
Taylor said she was “so grateful” for the fight and hoped to repay some of fans’ international support during her career “with a big performance on September 5th”.
“I’m under no illusions that Flora will present a very tough challenge, she’s undefeated as a professional and has a good amateur pedigree so I have the utmost respect for her.”
“I’ve been blessed to achieve more than I could ever have dreamed in this sport but fighting at Croke Park really is the icing on the cake.
Facing a legend like her represents the biggest opportunity of my career
— Flora Pili
“I hope it’s the kind of event that will inspire a whole new generation to take up sport and follow their passions – that, for me, would be the greatest legacy I could leave.”
Pili is the top-ranked contender for the recently vacated WBC belt and the mandatory challenger for Taylor’s IBF light-welterweight title. Taylor is the current IBF, WBA and WBO champion. She was previously WBC champion, but vacated the belt last year when she took a break from boxing.
The current title holder, Sandy Ryan, is pregnant and was made “Champion in recess” by the WBC, who this week ordered Taylor to fight Pili for the vacant strap.
Thus the fight night will feature a showdown for all the belts at 140lbs, a fitting conclusion to the 39-year-old’s pro career that has seen her record 25 wins and suffer just one defeat, to Chantelle Cameron in 2023.
She is the ultimate trailblazer for this amazing sport. She is a living legend
— Eddie Hearn
As an amateur, the Bray woman struck gold at the London Olympics in 2012 and won five world championships.
Pili, meanwhile, last fought in December, when she claimed the IBO super lightweight title against Jelena Janićijević on a majority decision. It was Pili’s 12th bout as a professional.
“Katie Taylor is one of the greatest champions in the history of women’s boxing, and I have tremendous respect for everything she has achieved,” said Pili.
“Facing a legend like her represents the biggest opportunity of my career. On September 5th, I will step into the ring fully prepared and ready to embrace this challenge in my quest to become the undisputed world champion.”
There was speculation that Taylor could meet former UFC champion Holly Holm or even Cameron for a deciding trilogy showdown at the GAA headquarters. Instead it is Pili, who hails from Moselle in the northeast of France, and who lost to Kellie Harrington in her amateur days, who will provide the Irish star’s final challenge.
The venue last hosted a professional boxing bout in 1972, when Muhammad Ali defeated Al ‘Blue’ Lewis.
[ Katie Taylor announces she will retire from boxing after summer fight in IrelandOpens in new window ]
Previous attempts by Taylor’s promoter, Matchroom Sport, to find common ground with Croke Park were unsuccessful because of security costs and concerns over the commercial viability of staging the event, but there was a breakthrough in negotiations last month to ensure a fairytale finale for her.
“This is an incredibly proud moment for Matchroom,” said Hearn. “For everything Katie Taylor has accomplished, and for all those she has inspired along the way, it is absolutely beyond deserved.
“From turning over as a professional a decade ago, to fighting in the most iconic stadiums around the world and making history at Madison Square Garden, she’s done it all.
“What a magical adventure it has been. Getting here to Croke Park has been years in the making. But we were never giving up on delivering this dream.”
Hearn said to end “this special journey together” by becoming a “three-time Undisputed Champion of the world is indeed the perfect farewell” to what has been an “extraordinary fairytale”.
“The noise when Katie Taylor walks out in front of Croke Park on September 5th – live on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN – will reverberate around the world. She is the ultimate trailblazer for this amazing sport. She is a living legend.”
