What Katie Did: How Katie Taylor Changed Irish Sport - and What Comes Next

Katie Taylor has done it again. Weeks after her masterful victory over Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden - the third and decisive chapter in one of boxing’s greatest rivalries - Ireland’s most decorated fighter finds herself at a pivotal moment. At 39, she remains a world champion at the peak of her craft, but talk of retirement, the long-delayed dream of a Croke Park homecoming, and even whispers about her private life are fuelling speculation about what comes next. Thirteen years on from the Olympic gold medal in London that changed Irish sport forever, Taylor’s story continues to evolve – and that evolution that was on full display against Serrano. Yet questions remain. Could she be tempted into a third meeting with Chantelle Cameron, the only fighter to have beaten her as a professional? Will promoter Eddie Hearn finally deliver the Croke Park spectacle Pete Taylor has long called for? Or will she choose to bow out quietly, leaving her legacy untarnished? In this episode of the podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by Off The Ball’s Eoin Sheahan, who has interviewed Taylor and covered her career from Bray to the bright lights of New York. Together, they explore her evolution in the ring, the faith and privacy that define her outside it, and the impact she’s had on women’s boxing in Ireland and around the world. Have your say on Katie’s next move by emailing [email protected] — and you can find more of Eoin’s coverage of Irish sport at offtheball.com.