Katie Taylor has once again spoken about her desire to finish her professional boxing career on home soil, admitting that 2026 is likely to be her final year in the ring and that a farewell fight at Croke Park remains her ultimate ambition.
The Bray native, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers Ireland has ever produced, is coming to the end of a historic career that has spanned Olympic gold, multiple world titles and sold-out arenas across the globe. Now approaching her 40th birthday, Taylor has acknowledged that time is running out — but the dream of closing the chapter in Ireland has not faded.
“After my last fight, an amazing trilogy against Amanda Serrano, I thought I would love to end my career here in Ireland,” Taylor said. “This is probably my last year boxing. I’m going to be 40 this year.”
Taylor currently holds the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring super-lightweight titles, while also being named the WBC Champion in Recess. Her most recent bout — the third fight in her rivalry with Amanda Serrano — took place at Madison Square Garden last July, further cementing her legacy as one of boxing’s biggest modern draws.
@wbcboxing Katie Taylor’s Highlights! Share if you believe she should win the award. @daznboxing #wbcboxing #wbcbest2023 ♬ original sound - World Boxing Council
Despite fighting predominantly in the United States and the UK throughout her professional career, a homecoming in Dublin has long been a personal goal. A proposed Croke Park fight was explored in the past but never came to fruition, something Taylor admits still frustrates her.
“I would absolutely love to have an opportunity to fight here in Croke Park. That would be the icing on the cake for me,” she said. “I’m not sure if it’s ever going to happen, but that is the dream.”
Croke Park holds enormous symbolic weight in Irish sport, yet has rarely been used for professional boxing. A Taylor headline bout there would be unprecedented in scale, with the stadium’s 82,300 capacity offering the chance to stage the biggest boxing event ever held in Ireland.
Taylor stressed that the identity of her final opponent matters far less than the location. “Whoever the opponent is, I want to end my career on a high here in the country that I love,” she said, adding that living in Connecticut in recent years has only deepened her appreciation for home.
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“I love being at home. I love my country. I love the people. I just love the Irish people, and I would love to bring a big night back to Ireland again.”
For now, Taylor says she is unsure whether any formal discussions are underway to make a Croke Park fight happen, though she has not given up hope. “We tried to make it happen a couple of years ago and it wasn’t possible, but I’m still not giving up.”
As one of Ireland’s most decorated athletes — an Olympic gold medallist, former undisputed lightweight champion and the standard-bearer for women’s boxing — a final night at Croke Park would be a fitting farewell. Whether the logistics align remains to be seen, but Taylor has made one thing clear: the dream is still alive, and she intends to chase it until the very end.
