Promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested that unless Katie Taylor gets her career long dream of fighting at the 82,000 capacity Croke Park, she won’t be fighting at all.
Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs) had announced earlier this year that she intends to hold a farewell fight in her hometown of Dublin, Ireland. The Irish superstar alongside her promoter Eddie Hearn have expressed a long interest in staging a boxing event at the Irish national stadium.
Ahead of rematch with Chantelle Cameron in November 2025, Hearn pleaded with the Irish authorities to help stage the fight at Croke Park. The English promoter was looking for some assistance in the costs associated with renting out the stadium, claiming that it cost in the region of £750,000. Reportedly three times more than the cost of England’s national stadium, the 90,000-seater Wembley Stadium.
Hearn posted an AI generated picture of Taylor walking out front of a packed stadium, with the Irish flag around her shoulders. The Matchroom Boxing lead was in Ireland this week to discuss some apparent cooperation with the Irish authorities.
“I feel that the swell of the support means that the confidence to fill this place is higher than it has ever been,” Hearn told RTE, who had caught the promoter outside Croke Park. “Obviously throw that in with her huge profile, the Netflix fights and stuff like that. Before you look at the costs of coming here vs the risk of also filling it. Now we are more confident than ever. There seems to be an unbelievable swell of support from the country to make this happen. And I know we fill this place.
“And I know how important it has become to Katie, and we’ve reached that moment in her career where it’s here, or it’s over. And no one wants it to be over. No one wants her to walk away from the support fulfilling her lifelong dream, given everything that she’s achieved. It just wouldn’t be right.”
Hearn posted on Instagram following that interview: “Some day at @crokepark_official today. A positive meeting and a huge swell of public support to give @katie_t86 and the Irish people a moment in time they will never forget. Work to be done but we are ready to do that work.”
Taylor responded: “Thank you Eddie! Ireland is behind you, let’s bring it home.”
All appears to be moving in the right direction for Taylor to achieve one last record-breaking spectacle. The Irish superstar’s presence is apparent as soon as you arrive at Dublin airport, with a large picture of Taylor arriving home with an Olympic gold medal in 2012. Taylor’s accolades as an amateur, which include six World Championship gold medals, have made her a household name in Ireland. While in the paid ranks, Taylor conquered the lightweight division before doing the same at light welterweight becoming a two-weight undisputed champion.
Taylor defeated Chantelle Cameron to overcome her first career defeat to collect all four belts at 140 pounds in November 2023. The 39-year-old moved on to have fights two and three with Amanda Serrano in New York and Texas, making it 3-0 in their trilogy.
Although Taylor’s final fight has been slated for this summer, her final opponent has not been decided. The two frontrunners appear to be between IBF, WBA and WBO super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner and a third fight with Chantelle Cameron, who recently became the WBO super welterweight title holder. Both fighters are currently under the guidance of Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. However, business should not be too difficult as Taylor has had her last two fights on the promotion in the two bouts with Serrano.
