Toasting s'mores by the camp fire and singing ’Sweet Caroline’, Katie Taylor gets emotional as you’ve never seen before as the legendary Irish fighter reflects on her storied career in Matchroom Boxing's latest episode of Ordinary People.
This Saturday – live worldwide on DAZN and non-exclusively in Ireland on RTÉ – Taylor will bring the curtain down in front of 80,000 at Dublin’s iconic Croke Park when she challenges France’s undefeated Flora Pili for the Undisputed Super Lightweight Championship.
And as Taylor counts down her final days as a professional fighter, she took time out from her last-ever training camp in Connecticut to host SJA Award winning broadcaster Jamie Ward in a fascinating behind-the-scenes interview.
In it the London 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist and two-weight Undisputed World Champion receives a call from Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn, who reveals that she has completely sold out her farewell.
And Taylor takes a trip down memory lane to recall the inspiring message from her mother Bridget in which she was told she was “destined for greatness” – and she opens up on how she will truly fill when she takes her final ring walk on what promises to be a tear-jerking occasion this Saturday.
“People are asking me whether this will be a sad moment for me,” said Taylor.
“But it’s not going to be sad at all. It will be a moment of joy, especially as I look back at my whole career. The emotions I will be feeling on fight night will be very happy emotions. I’m very, very grateful.
"I just have a heart full of gratitude that this career is ending on such a high-note, please God. [Croke Park] is my dream venue. And this really is the stuff of dreams."
Watch the interview in full in the video player below.
Fight Week, delivered by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing in association with Aiken Promotions and Brian Peters, begins tomorrow, Tuesday, September 1, when Taylor and Pili meet at the Main Event Press Conference at The Helix, Mahony Hall.
Then, on Wednesday, September 2, Taylor and Pili lead the stacked card of fighters taking part in an Open Workout, taking place at the same venue at 6pm.
Fans are invited to attend both events by applying for tickets:
Main Event Press Conference: https://www.thehelix.ie/taylor-vs-pili-pressconference
Open Workout: https://www.thehelix.ie/taylor-vs-pili-prefightworkout
On Thursday, September 3, the undercard – including Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty, Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna, Taylor Bevan vs Emmet Brennan, Molly McCann vs Sylwia Doligala, Joe McGrail vs Matthew Boreland, Adam Olaniyan vs Matej Hudak, Bobbi Flood vs Jack Swallow and Paul Ryan vs Paddy Gallagher – take to the stage for the Undercard Press Conference at The Helix, The Theatre, which starts at 1pm – open to media only.
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