Katie Taylor vs. Flora Pili
Undercard Launch Press Conference!
(June 30th) Katie Taylor vs. Flora Pili undercard launch press conference live from Dublin, Ireland. Matchroom Boxing formally launched the undercard for Katie Taylor’s farewell fight at Croke Park with a packed press conference in Dublin, framing the September 5 event as both a championship showdown and a landmark occasion in Irish sporting history. Taylor will face unbeaten French challenger Flora Pili for the undisputed super-lightweight championship in what has been billed as the final fight of Taylor’s professional career.
The event will mark only the second professional boxing card ever staged at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali fought Al “Blue” Lewis there in 1972.
Speaking at the launch, Taylor described the opportunity to close her career at Ireland’s most iconic sporting venue as the fulfillment of a long-held ambition.
“It’s beyond my wildest dreams,” Taylor said. “This is the most iconic moment of my whole career.”
The undisputed champion also emphasized that she did not want a ceremonial finale, but a meaningful challenge.
“I wanted to be in a real fight with real risk that gives you the drive and the hunger to go again. I have that in Flora. This is a real fight.”
Matchroom confirmed that the winner of Taylor vs. Pili will leave Croke Park as the undisputed super-lightweight champion, adding further significance to what is already being promoted as a historic farewell.
Flora Pili enters the bout unbeaten at 12-0 (2 KOs) and viewed the assignment as the biggest opportunity of her career. “It’s a dream come true to fight Katie Taylor,” the French challenger said.
While Pili is not known as a heavy puncher, her undefeated record and ability to go rounds consistently have made her a credible threat on the biggest stage of her career.
Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that more than 80,000 tickets were sold within 24 hours and claimed internal research showed that the overwhelming majority of attendees will be watching boxing live for the first time.
“Over 95% of people filling the arena had never watched boxing before,” Hearn said. “This is our opportunity for boxing to showcase this great sport in front of a new audience.”
Trainer Andy Lee described the occasion as something larger than a normal fight card. “It’s hard to put into words the magnitude of what this means. It’s hallowed turf for us. It’s the home of Irish sport.”
The press conference introduced the fighters who will share the historic bill.
Heavyweights: Dave Allen vs. Thomas Carty
Allen admitted the fight could determine the future of his career.
“If I lose this one, it’s over… If I lose this fight, I will retire.”
Carty, returning from a serious knee injury, called it “the chance of a lifetime.”
Welterweights: Paddy Donovan vs. Tyrone McKenna
Donovan, the IBF mandatory challenger, promised to “light it up” in front of the home crowd.
McKenna praised Taylor as “a once-in-a-lifetime athlete” and said he believed he could pull off the upset.
Super Bantamweights: Molly McCann vs. Sylwia Doligala
McCann, Taylor’s cousin, said fighting on the card completed a personal bucket list after her move from MMA to boxing.
Middleweights: Paul Ryan vs. Paddy Gallagher
Ryan used the stage to call for a future Matchroom contract, while Gallagher described the occasion as “monumental.”
Super Middleweights: Taylor Bevan vs. Emmet Brennan
Brennan, who lives near the stadium, said fighting at Croke Park was “beyond anyone’s dreams” and insisted he was coming to win.
Super Bantamweights: Joe McGrail vs. Matthew Boreland
Boreland vowed to prove doubters wrong again, while McGrail said the hostile atmosphere “excites” him.
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland (82,000 seats)
Promoter: Eddie Hearn – Matchroom Boxing
Titles at Stake: vacant WBC, IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO super lightweight
Media: DAZN
By the close, Matchroom’s message was clear: Taylor’s farewell is being presented as more than a title defense. It combines an emotional goodbye from Ireland’s most celebrated boxer, an unbeaten challenger with everything to gain, and a stacked undercard designed to showcase Irish boxing to a massive new audience.
With more than 80,000 expected at Croke Park, Taylor vs. Pili has already been framed as one of the biggest sporting events ever staged in Ireland — and, as Taylor repeatedly reminded the room, “a real fight.”
Katie Taylor Reacts To Sold Out Croke Park Date!
(June 13th) Katie Taylor says she has been “blown away” by the phenomenal support she has received after her historic Undisputed homecoming World Title clash with Flora Pili on Saturday, September 5 at Croke Park sold out just moments after going on sale.
A capacity crowd of over 80,000 people will pack into Dublin's iconic home of the Gaelic Athletic Association for what will be the Irish legend’s final fight, with every Super Lightweight championship on the line – live worldwide on DAZN.
Earlier this week, on Wednesday, an incredible 40,000 snapped up pre-sale tickets in record time via the Matchroom Fight Pass, Lidl Plus and Croke Park residents.
Over 20,000 were able to purchase tickets at an affordable price of under €40 for the event promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, in association with Aiken Promotions, Brian Peters and title event partners Lidl Ireland.
And within minutes of reaching General Sale on Friday, the remaining allocation were quickly seized by fight fans who can now look forward to witnessing history on September 5.
"It is incredible,” said Taylor, speaking to Matchroom Boxing.
"I woke up, because I’m actually in America now, and we’re five hours behind here, and I saw my phone. I couldn’t believe we are actually sold out.
"I’m blown away by it to be honest. I never could have dreamt this really. A packed Croke Park, it’s going to be an incredible event. What a way to end my career.”
Delighted Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn believes it is a testament to the love deserved for the greatest of all-time, backing the Irish queen to bow out in her September swansong by becoming a three-time Undisputed ruler of the world when she takes on France’s undefeated Pili.
"This will be the greatest event in sporting history in Ireland,” said Hearn.
"I know it’s often promoter talk that we could have 'sold the place out twice', but a huge portion of those tickets were so highly in-demand. Genuinely, Katie could have sold another 50 or 60,000.
"But what we did with Katie, Peter Aiken of Aiken Promotions and Brian Peters, was to price them accordingly from €38 for the cheapest ticket and down to €32 for those family packages, which is really unheard of.
"It will be the greatest atmosphere of any boxing event I will have ever witnessed on September 5. Now Katie’s got to train hard and go out there to win this fight – live on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN."
News on a blockbuster undercard will be announced in due course, along with the Fight Week schedule, which will provide Irish fans another chance to see their hero Katie Taylor in the build-up.
Taylor completed a remarkable four-day promotional bus tour across Ireland on Tuesday, with the London 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist visiting communities, boxing clubs, schools, and media, starting out from her hometown of Bray, County Wicklow, travelling to places such as Cork, Donegal, Tipperary, Clare, Galway and more.
Now Taylor will focus on her training camp in the USA before she returns home for her dream date with destiny at Croke Park.
Katie Taylor To Face Flora Pili
In Historic Farewell Fight At Croke Park!
(June 5th) A fairytale ending in the storied career of Ireland’s greatest ever athlete Katie Taylor is today confirmed for Saturday, September 5 – live worldwide on DAZN – at Dublin’s iconic Croke Park as she defends her WBO, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine titles and fights for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight Championship in a historic Undisputed clash against France’s undefeated Flora Pili.
Backed by Title Event Partner Lidl Ireland, the leading retailer is getting in the ring to support Katie as she fulfils her ambition to bring female boxing to Croke Park and break barriers in elevating female sport.
The legendary London 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist and two-weight queen of boxing Taylor, (25-1, 6 KOs) returns to home shores for what promises to be a special night in front of over 80,000 supporters at the Ireland’s premier concert and events venue – where she will bid to become a three-time Undisputed champion of the world.
It will be the first time a professional boxing event has been staged at the historic Dublin home of the Gaelic Athletic Association since the late, great Muhammad Ali famously fought Detroit heavyweight Alvin ‘Blue' Lewis back in 1972.
A thrilled Taylor – who will this Saturday embark on a four-day promotional tour of Ireland, starting in her hometown of Bray, County Wicklow, before reaching Dublin and other major cities including Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Belfast in Northern Ireland – has thanked all those who have made this iconic September 5 showcase possible, promising to deliver a Fight Night for the ages to her loyal faithful.
Taylor said: "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. I'm so grateful that it's happening and I can't thank the people of this country enough for the support I have received over the years.
“People have travelled all around the world to follow my career and I'm hoping I can repay some of that with a big performance on September 5. 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. 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."
News on a blockbuster undercard will follow in due course – and Matchroom Sport Chairman, Eddie Hearn expects it to be an evening that will be permanently etched in sporting folklore.
“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.
“And 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 5 – 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."
Title Event Partner Lidl Ireland Chief Executive Officer Robert Ryan said: “For more than a decade we have championed female sport in Ireland through our partnership with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and we’re very much recognised across the country for breaking barriers, pushing boundaries and elevating female sport to the position it so rightly deserves.
“There’s no question that Katie Taylor is the greatest athlete Ireland has ever seen and this clash will be the defining fight the country has been waiting for. This is the fight that fans have to see and we’re very proud to help provide that visibility and that platform. Our decade-long work in supporting the LGFA has always been to elevate the sport and its players and we’re very proud to further that cause and 'Get Behind the Fight’ for Katie at Croker - a legendary fighter, an iconic venue and a defining moment for Irish female sport.”
Taylor’s long-standing manager Brian Peters expects a packed Croke Park to roar Taylor to triumph in her date with destiny, insisting it will be the perfect setting for the Irish hero to become a three-time Undisputed Champion.
Peters said: "This is a fitting, final chapter to what has been one of sport's great fairytales. From dreaming about winning Olympic Gold medals in a sport that didn't even exist to completely transforming her sport. Katie has broken global audience records and featured in some of the most iconic venues in fights that will be forever remembered. She's reigned as a World Champion for 20 years and it's been the most remarkable journey.
“She has seen and done it all but winning back her Undisputed title at Croke Park will truly top everything that has come before. I've no doubt Flora Pili will be prepared for the fight of her life but she will need to be because in front of a packed Croke Park, Katie will stop at nothing to make sure she becomes Undisputed Champion again."
France’s unbeaten Pili is ready to spoil the party, however, with the 12-0 (2 KOs) WBC mandatory challenger determined to write her own name in lights by causing an almighty upset.
Pili said: “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. Facing a legend like her represents the biggest opportunity of my career. On September 5, I will step into the ring fully prepared and ready to embrace this challenge in my quest to become the undisputed world champion.”
About DAZN
Welcome to DAZN, the global sports streaming platform that transcends boundaries and redefines the way fans experience their favorite sports. With availability in over 200 territories, DAZN ensures that sports enthusiasts around the world can immerse themselves in the thrill of live and on-demand content, on any device, at the touch of a button.
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About Matchroom Boxing
After the success of snooker in the 1980s, Matchroom Sport moved into boxing with two small hall shows followed by Frank Bruno v Joe Bugner at Tottenham Hotspur’s ground – the biggest boxing event of 1987. That launched the company into the boxing big-time, a position it has maintained ever since.
Through the 1990s Matchroom Sport’s boxing roster featured many of the biggest names in the sport including Lennox Lewis, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Steve Collins and Naseem Hamed, all in world title fights and it continues to work with some of the biggest names in UK boxing including Audley Harrison, the 2000 Olympic Super-Heavyweight gold medalist.
Over the years, Matchroom Sport has built up long-standing relationships with broadcasters around the world and with the advent of the Prizefighter phenomenon, the company’s boxing division has never been in a stronger position.
From fantastic six round scraps between the sport’s journeymen, up to multi-million-dollar World Championship contests featuring the above fighters, the Pro Box series has it all. Each show is packed with the very best in boxing action in a series that encompasses almost 25 years of Matchroom Sport’s commitment to bringing the highest quality to the global television market.
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