Katie Taylor Becomes 3-Time Undisputed Champ In What She Says Was Her Final Fight

Katie Taylor  (26-1-6) beat Flora Pili (12-1, 2 KOs) by a lopsided unanimous decision on Saturday in what she called her retirement fight, to become as a three-time undisputed world champion.

The 40-year-old added the vacant WBC super lightweight title to the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts she carried to the ring in front of 83,000 fans at Croke Park in her home of Ireland, which broke the attendance record for an individual female sporting event.

After the judges scored the fight 100-90 (twice) and 98-91, Taylor removed her gloves and left them in the ring, appearing to walk away from the sport with undisputed championships across two divisions (140lbs & 135lbs).

“Croke Park, we did it, we brought boxing back to Croke Park,” Taylor said, having headlined the first boxing event at the venue since Muhammad Ali beat Al ‘Blue’ Lewis in 1972.

The 2012 gold medal-winning Olympian at lightweight turned pro after her quarterfinal Olympic elimination in 2016. “Every one of you here helped me win,” she added.

“You were with me in London 2012, you got me through the heartbreak of Rio, you stayed with me when I turned pro, you travelled around the world to watch me, now you’re here with me.”

Though Taylor is at the end of her career, she still looked fast in the ring, with her hand speed and footwork helping her overcome Pili. Taylor outworked her opponent with combinations of punches, landing a total of 98 shots from 356 thrown (27.5% accurate) — far more than Pili’s 60 from 278 (21.6%).

With bursts of pace, Taylor increased the pressure in the tenth round to put on a show for the crowd and punctuate the performance, and her career, with her final win on her biggest stage.

Following her win, her long-time Irish supporter Conor McGregor heaped praise on Taylor, even asking her to reconsider her choice to retire.