Katie Taylor will fight for the final time today, saying goodbye to boxing in front of 80,000 fans at Dublin’s Croke Park, in a main event against Flora Pili for the super lightweight undisputed championship.
Taylor’s farewell promises to be an emotional night of pageantry and richly-deserved praise, and she’ll hope it ends with becoming a three-time undisputed world champion.
Patrick Stumberg will lead the call today for us, with round-by-round updates for the main event, and fight-by-fight updates and results for the undercard. Join us!
by Unanimous Decision
Post-Fight Thoughts: Workmanlike performance from Taylor (26-1, 6 KO) in her final effort, just too good for the game but limited Pili (12-1, 2 KO). Pili came in looking to catch and pitch, never figured out the much faster and savvier Taylor’s timing, and couldn’t find a Plan B. Taylor managed distance well, picked her spots to let her hands go, and gave Pili basically no opportunities to twist the narrative besides a crowd-pleasing barrage in the last ten seconds. Thanks for everything, Katie.
- Round 10: Announcers pleading for some “razzle-dazzle” from Taylor, who meets the advancing Pili with rapid-fire combos. Pili trying to throw with her, but just too slow and can’t find the timing. Halfway through. Both swing on their way into the clinch. Low-high goes Taylor. Lead right through the guard, low-high combo.Taylor unloads on her in the final seconds. 10-9, 99-91 Taylor, can’t see more than one other round conceivably going Pili’s way.
- Round 9: Long flurry from Taylor. Pili advances, absorbs a right, is too slow on the counter, gets clinched. Halfway through. More good lateral movement from Taylor, picking Pili off as the Frenchwoman steps in. Low-high 2-3 by Taylor. Two-piece into the clinch. 2-3 at the bell. 10-9, 89-82 Taylor.
Round 8: Taylor ties up and Pili tries to flurry inside. 1-2 from Taylor. Three-piece upstairs, sharpshooting on the retreat. Right hand into the clinch. Halfway through. Counter jab and right by Taylor. Crisp right cross. Pili pushing forward but not landing any jabs or setup shots, just waiting for Taylor to throw. 10-9, 79-73 Taylor.
Round 7: Pili pushing forward and getting chewed up by hooks to the head and body. Rapid-fire combos from Taylor off the back foot. Now Pili manages to sneak a good portion of a flurry through Taylor’s guard. One minute in. Solid counter right by Taylor, big exchange on the ropes. Pili finding some confidence. Taylor circling and potshotting, muscles in and punches on her way out. 10-9 Pili, 69-64 Taylor.
Round 6: No surprises too far. Taylor too fast, too skilled, doing her damage and getting out before Pili’s even thrown her counters. Right hands from Taylor as Pili’s counters continue to fall short. Sharp combination up top. Halfway mark. Counters from Taylor, sharp straight right. Clinch. They exchange near the corner. 10-9, 60-54 Taylor.
Round 5: Pili still trying to advance, more willing to lead than before but still not landing anything. Nice combo and check hook by Taylor as Pili lands a right hand. Flurry from Taylor, not a lot lands clean. Solid right hand a minute in. Another cross as she moves laterally along the ropes. Check hook kicks off a three-piece from Taylor. 10-9, 50-45 Taylor.
Round 4: Pili intercepting Taylor’s long-range shots for the most part. There’s a nice salvo from the champ a minute in. Quick combo into the clinch. Pili trying to walk her down to little effect. 10-9, 40-36 Taylor.
Round 3: Taylor’s got a nice little speed advantage she’s using to draw out and avoid Pili’s counters. Mostly working behind her jab, getting out of the way before Pili can throw back. Halfway through. Nice little low-high flurry. Lead right by Taylor as she circles along the ropes. Pili tries to unload after eating a three-piece and gets tied up. 10-9, 30-27 Taylor.
Round 2: Both women staying at a distance and flicking out jabs. Nice body work from Taylor, then left hooks in and out of the clinch. Halfway through. Decent counters from Pili as her back hits the ropes, lead right by Taylor in return. Another lead right. 10-9, 20-18 Taylor.
Round 1: Taylor pushing forward. 2-3 lands for her in the corner. Halfway through. Prodding with her jab as Pili tries to catch and pitch. 10-9 Taylor.
Preview: The swan song for the 40-year-old Taylor (25-1, 6 KO), one of the most accomplished amateurs the sport has ever seen and a damn fine professional for the last decade. Pili (12-0, 2 KO), fighting out of France, is a decade Taylor’s junior but has yet to face an opponent anywhere near the Irishwoman’s caliber. Not that there are many opponents near Taylor’s caliber, to be fair, but this definitely has a greater whiff of “victory lap” than “one last mountain to climb.”
Super lightweights, 10 rounds
Round 10: Announcers pleading for some “razzle-dazzle” from Taylor, who meets the advancing Pili with rapid-fire combos. Pili trying to throw with her, but just too slow and can’t find the timing. Halfway through. Both swing on their way into the clinch. Low-high goes Taylor. Lead right through the guard, low-high combo.Taylor unloads on her in the final seconds. 10-9, 99-91 Taylor, can’t see more than one other round conceivably going Pili’s way.
Round 9: Long flurry from Taylor. Pili advances, absorbs a right, is too slow on the counter, gets clinched. Halfway through. More good lateral movement from Taylor, picking Pili off as the Frenchwoman steps in. Low-high 2-3 by Taylor. Two-piece into the clinch. 2-3 at the bell. 10-9, 89-82 Taylor.
Round 8: Taylor ties up and Pili tries to flurry inside. 1-2 from Taylor. Three-piece upstairs, sharpshooting on the retreat. Right hand into the clinch. Halfway through. Counter jab and right by Taylor. Crisp right cross. Pili pushing forward but not landing any jabs or setup shots, just waiting for Taylor to throw. 10-9, 79-73 Taylor.
Round 7: Pili pushing forward and getting chewed up by hooks to the head and body. Rapid-fire combos from Taylor off the back foot. Now Pili manages to sneak a good portion of a flurry through Taylor’s guard. One minute in. Solid counter right by Taylor, big exchange on the ropes. Pili finding some confidence. Taylor circling and potshotting, muscles in and punches on her way out. 10-9 Pili, 69-64 Taylor.
Round 6: No surprises too far. Taylor too fast, too skilled, doing her damage and getting out before Pili’s even thrown her counters. Right hands from Taylor as Pili’s counters continue to fall short. Sharp combination up top. Halfway mark. Counters from Taylor, sharp straight right. Clinch. They exchange near the corner. 10-9, 60-54 Taylor.
Round 5: Pili still trying to advance, more willing to lead than before but still not landing anything. Nice combo and check hook by Taylor as Pili lands a right hand. Flurry from Taylor, not a lot lands clean. Solid right hand a minute in. Another cross as she moves laterally along the ropes. Check hook kicks off a three-piece from Taylor. 10-9, 50-45 Taylor.
Round 4: Pili intercepting Taylor’s long-range shots for the most part. There’s a nice salvo from the champ a minute in. Quick combo into the clinch. Pili trying to walk her down to little effect. 10-9, 40-36 Taylor.
Round 3: Taylor’s got a nice little speed advantage she’s using to draw out and avoid Pili’s counters. Mostly working behind her jab, getting out of the way before Pili can throw back. Halfway through. Nice little low-high flurry. Lead right by Taylor as she circles along the ropes. Pili tries to unload after eating a three-piece and gets tied up. 10-9, 30-27 Taylor.
Round 2: Both women staying at a distance and flicking out jabs. Nice body work from Taylor, then left hooks in and out of the clinch. Halfway through. Decent counters from Pili as her back hits the ropes, lead right by Taylor in return. Another lead right. 10-9, 20-18 Taylor.
Round 1: Taylor pushing forward. 2-3 lands for her in the corner. Halfway through. Prodding with her jab as Pili tries to catch and pitch. 10-9 Taylor.
Preview: The swan song for the 40-year-old Taylor (25-1, 6 KO), one of the most accomplished amateurs the sport has ever seen and a damn fine professional for the last decade. Pili (12-0, 2 KO), fighting out of France, is a decade Taylor’s junior but has yet to face an opponent anywhere near the Irishwoman’s caliber. Not that there are many opponents near Taylor’s caliber, to be fair, but this definitely has a greater whiff of “victory lap” than “one last mountain to climb.”
- Post-Fight Thoughts: We got just over a minute of decent action before Carty tied up, ate a swatting punch to the back of the head, and flew through the ropes to land in a heap with his foot stuck in a stool. After a decent stretch of confused shuffling about, they brought out the oxygen and called the fight off. No Contest was probably the right call, as Carty turned his head as Allen punched. We’ll see if they run it back.
Yep, it’s over. Let’s see how they call this.
Carty careens through the ropes around 80 seconds into the first round and somehow gets his foot stuck in a chair. He looks like he’s in serious pain. This might be over already.
Preview: Beloved Yorkshire big man Allen (27-9-2, 20 KO) fights for the third time in three months, graduating back into actual competition after a pair of four-round get-well mismatches. Local boy Carty (11-1, 9 KO) probably doesn’t have the brightest future after getting stopped by cartoonishly large journeyman Dajuan Calloway last year but this should be fun.
Heavyweights, 10 rounds
Post-Fight Thoughts: We got just over a minute of decent action before Carty tied up, ate a swatting punch to the back of the head, and flew through the ropes to land in a heap with his foot stuck in a stool. After a decent stretch of confused shuffling about, they brought out the oxygen and called the fight off. No Contest was probably the right call, as Carty turned his head as Allen punched. We’ll see if they run it back.
Yep, it’s over. Let’s see how they call this.
Carty careens through the ropes around 80 seconds into the first round and somehow gets his foot stuck in a chair. He looks like he’s in serious pain. This might be over already.
Preview: Beloved Yorkshire big man Allen (27-9-2, 20 KO) fights for the third time in three months, graduating back into actual competition after a pair of four-round get-well mismatches. Local boy Carty (11-1, 9 KO) probably doesn’t have the brightest future after getting stopped by cartoonishly large journeyman Dajuan Calloway last year but this should be fun.
by TKO in Round Four
- Post-Fight Thoughts: One-way traffic for Donovan (16-2, 12 KO), as expected. Just way too sharp for McKenna (25-7-1, 8 KO), who found his offense completely neutered by Donovan’s technical superiority. Donovan sent him to a knee with a counter right to the body in the second, took his foot off the gas for a bit in the third, then ramped up again in the fourth to open a nasty, fight-ending cut above McKenna’s right eye. Donovan heads into a title shot against Liam Paro and the 36-year-old McKenna is left to consider his future after another high-profile defeat.
McKenna whooping but offering little else in the fourth. Donovan stalking, landing heavy shots, splits McKenna open with a sharp left hand. The doctor takes one look at it and immediately calls the fight. McKenna TKO-4.
McKenna showing a bit more life and Donovan staying measured.
Fade-back right hook to the body puts McKenna down on a delayed reaction in the second. Donovan stalking.
Enjoying this article? Support our work with a small crypto donation.Three minutes in and Donovan’s already sitting down on his combinations. Don’t feel like this lasts long.
Preview: Donovan (15-2, 11 KO) getting what should be a layup after two controversial losses to Lewis Crocker and a gritty majority decision over Karen Chukhadzhian. He’s theoretically got a shot at Liam Paro in his pocket should he get past McKenna (25-6-1, 8 KO), who’s dropped three of his last five.
Welterweights, 10 rounds
Post-Fight Thoughts: One-way traffic for Donovan (16-2, 12 KO), as expected. Just way too sharp for McKenna (25-7-1, 8 KO), who found his offense completely neutered by Donovan’s technical superiority. Donovan sent him to a knee with a counter right to the body in the second, took his foot off the gas for a bit in the third, then ramped up again in the fourth to open a nasty, fight-ending cut above McKenna’s right eye. Donovan heads into a title shot against Liam Paro and the 36-year-old McKenna is left to consider his future after another high-profile defeat.
McKenna whooping but offering little else in the fourth. Donovan stalking, landing heavy shots, splits McKenna open with a sharp left hand. The doctor takes one look at it and immediately calls the fight. McKenna TKO-4.
McKenna showing a bit more life and Donovan staying measured.
Fade-back right hook to the body puts McKenna down on a delayed reaction in the second. Donovan stalking.
Three minutes in and Donovan’s already sitting down on his combinations. Don’t feel like this lasts long.
Preview: Donovan (15-2, 11 KO) getting what should be a layup after two controversial losses to Lewis Crocker and a gritty majority decision over Karen Chukhadzhian. He’s theoretically got a shot at Liam Paro in his pocket should he get past McKenna (25-6-1, 8 KO), who’s dropped three of his last five.
by KO in Round Six
- Post-Fight Thoughts: Phenomenal performance from Bevan (10-0, 9 KO) against former Olympian Brennan (6-1, 1 KO). They spent virtually the entire fight forehead to forehead, with Bevan’s superior sharpness, output, and power keeping him in the driver’s seat throughout. Tons of potential at just 25; he’s got the shot selection and overall composure of a mature, complete fighter. Gutting for Brennan, who never gave up but just found himself completely outgunned and let down by his corner.
Beautiful body combo and this time Brennan goes down face-first. He tries to attack and gets absolutely melted by a right hook, crikey. Bevan KO-6
Liver shot and Brennan’s down again at the end of the fifth! Looks done but beats the count and heads to his corner.
Bevan looking razor-sharp today. Great punch selection, mixing speeds, never getting irresponsible with his defense.
Gnarly left hook sits down Brennan at the end of the third and a nasty right hand discombobulates him at the bell! He makes it to his corner but he does not look like he’s in fighting shape.
Solid back-and-forth action through two. Bevan mixing levels well, Brennan looking to catch and pitch.
Super middleweights, 10 rounds.
Post-Fight Thoughts: Phenomenal performance from Bevan (10-0, 9 KO) against former Olympian Brennan (6-1, 1 KO). They spent virtually the entire fight forehead to forehead, with Bevan’s superior sharpness, output, and power keeping him in the driver’s seat throughout. Tons of potential at just 25; he’s got the shot selection and overall composure of a mature, complete fighter. Gutting for Brennan, who never gave up but just found himself completely outgunned and let down by his corner.
Beautiful body combo and this time Brennan goes down face-first. He tries to attack and gets absolutely melted by a right hook, crikey. Bevan KO-6
Liver shot and Brennan’s down again at the end of the fifth! Looks done but beats the count and heads to his corner.
Bevan looking razor-sharp today. Great punch selection, mixing speeds, never getting irresponsible with his defense.
Gnarly left hook sits down Brennan at the end of the third and a nasty right hand discombobulates him at the bell! He makes it to his corner but he does not look like he’s in fighting shape.
Solid back-and-forth action through two. Bevan mixing levels well, Brennan looking to catch and pitch.
Streaming: DAZN (subscription required)
Location: Croke Park – Dublin, Ireland
- Katie Taylor vs Flora Pili, super lightweights, 10×2 rounds, for undisputed championship (Taylor’s WBA, IBF, and WBO titles and vacant WBC title)
Katie Taylor vs Flora Pili, super lightweights, 10×2 rounds, for undisputed championship (Taylor’s WBA, IBF, and WBO titles and vacant WBC title)
- Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty, heavyweights, 10 rounds
Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna, welterweights, 10 rounds
Taylor Bevan vs Emmet Brennan, super middleweights, 10 rounds
Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty, heavyweights, 10 rounds
Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna, welterweights, 10 rounds
Taylor Bevan vs Emmet Brennan, super middleweights, 10 rounds
Molly McCann vs Sylwia Doligala, bantamweights, 8×2 rounds
Joe McGrail vs Matthew Boreland, super bantamweights, 10 rounds
Bobbi Flood vs Jack Swallow, super welterweights, 4 rounds
Adam Olaniyan vs Matej Hudak, heavyweights, 6 rounds
Paul Ryan vs Paddy Gallagher, middleweights, 8 rounds
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