DUBLIN — A win for Taylor would make her a three-time undisputed world champion across two weight divisions. Approximately 80,000 spectators are expected to attend the event.

Taylor, 40, holds a professional record of 25 wins and one loss. Her only defeat came against Chantelle Cameron, whom she defeated in a rematch six months after their initial encounter.

Her challenger, Flora Pili, is 29 years old and holds an unbeaten record of 12 wins and zero losses. Pili has secured two knockouts in her career and currently holds the IBO super-lightweight belt.

"I have nothing to lose and everything to win," Pili said regarding the upcoming matchup. Taylor acknowledged the difficulty of the task, stating she purposely chose a tough challenger for her final fight.

Taylor held a public workout at The Helix in Dublin on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. During the session, she invited 10-year-old aspiring boxer Clodagh Keating into the ring.

The weigh-in for the fight will take place on Friday, 4 September at 6pm BST. Belfast referee David Irving is scheduled to officiate the bout.

Taylor has not stepped into the ring in well over a year prior to this September 2026 fight. She undertook a 1,500-mile bus tour across all 32 counties of Ireland to promote the event.

Taylor sometimes entered junior contests as "K. Taylor" with her hair tucked under her headgear to conceal her gender. She won Olympic gold in women's boxing at the London 2012 Games.

Taylor competed in the Rio 2016 Olympics but did not win a medal. She turned professional in 2016 and later headlined a boxing card at Madison Square Garden in 2022 against Amanda Serrano.

Taylor defeated Serrano in their 2022 fight and in two subsequent matches. Both Serrano and Claressa Shields paid tribute to Taylor's career in September 2026.

The event will feature a performance by the musical group Westlife. The fight will be broadcast on free-to-air television across Ireland.

Timeline

Muhammad Ali fought Al "Blue" Lewis at Croke Park in 1972. Deirdre Gogarty began training at a boxing gym in Drogheda 39 years prior to September 2026, which places the start of her training in 1987.

In 1996, Katie Taylor wrote a letter to Deirdre Gogarty when Taylor was 10 or 11 years old. In her 1996 letter, Katie Taylor stated she did not see boxing for girls taking off in Ireland. In her 1996 letter, Taylor wrote: "maybe one day they'll even let us box in the Olympics".

Deirdre Gogarty became Ireland's first female world boxing champion in 1997. Deirdre Gogarty won the WIBF featherweight world title by defeating Bonnie Canino in January 1997. Katie Taylor contested Ireland's first officially sanctioned women's boxing match in 2001 at age 15.

What's New

Katie Taylor stated: "Looking at the progress of women's boxing over the last 10 years, I think that is my greatest legacy." Katie Taylor stated: "I don't think there are many other countries where 80,000 show up for a female athlete." Katie Taylor stated: "I feel great. I think 40 is the new 30 or something!"

Katie Taylor stated: "In a few days I'll make my last ring walk and I'll look back on this in a few years and imagine I'll be overwhelmed." Katie Taylor stated: "This is what it's all about for me. It's just an absolute joy to be here."

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on details regarding Katie Taylor ticket sales. The BBC Sport event schedule notes that Katie Taylor will fight Flora Pili at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday, 5 September 2026. The BBC Sport article text states that 65% of tickets for the Taylor vs. Pili fight were sold to buyers outside Dublin.

There are differing details on Katie Taylor promotion efforts. Katie Taylor stated: "I purposely chose a tough challenger for my final fight." The BBC Sport article text states that Katie Taylor undertook a 1,500-mile bus tour across all 32 counties of Ireland to promote her final fight.

Why It Matters

The sold-out crowd of approximately 80,000 at Croke Park shows the scale of interest in women's boxing in Ireland. With 65% of tickets sold to buyers outside Dublin and 80% of attendees watching a live boxing match for the first time, the event represents a broad expansion of the sport's audience.

Taylor's retirement concludes a career that began with her contesting Ireland's first officially sanctioned women's boxing match in 2001. A victory would secure her status as a three-time undisputed world champion across two weight divisions, cementing a legacy that she views as central to the progress of women's boxing over the last decade.