Katie Taylor beats Flora Pili at Croke Park and retires undisputed

Katie Taylor closed her professional career on Saturday, 5 September 2026, with a unanimous decision win over Flora Pili at Croke Park in Dublin. The 40-year-old took all four super-lightweight belts on the night to become an undisputed world champion for the third time. It was the first boxing event staged at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali fought Al Lewis there on 19 July 1972.

Main event

Taylor boxed at range for most of the ten rounds, leaning on her footwork and short combinations rather than taking risks. Pili, who came in at 12-1, never found a way to change the pattern, and the cards reflected it.

• Katie Taylor beat Flora Pili by unanimous decision over ten rounds (100-90, 100-90, 98-91)
• The WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO super-lightweight titles were on the line
• Taylor retires at 26-1 (6 KOs)

Reports from the venue put the crowd at around 83,000, with tickets sold out inside 20 minutes. Taylor's only professional defeat came against Chantelle Cameron in May 2023, a result she later avenged. She won Olympic gold in London in 2012 and has now held undisputed status in two weight classes.

Co-main

The bout Matchroom placed directly beneath the main event ended in confusion. Dave Allen landed a heavy right hand in the opening round and Thomas Carty tumbled through the ropes and out of the ring. Carty received medical attention, including oxygen, for several minutes before walking back to the dressing room, and the fight was ruled a no contest.

• Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty — no contest, round 1, 1:22

Both camps have said they will appeal to the Boxing Union of Ireland, but in opposite directions: Allen's team wants the result changed to a win, while Carty's side argues he should be awarded a disqualification victory. No ruling has been announced.

Main card

• Paddy Donovan beat Tyrone McKenna by fifth-round stoppage (time not published)
• Taylor Bevan beat Emmet Brennan by sixth-round stoppage (time not published)
• Joe McGrail beat Matthew Boreland by fifth-round stoppage (time not published)

Preliminary bouts

• Adam Olaniyan beat Matej Hudak by first-round stoppage (time not published)
• Molly McCann beat Sylwia Doligala by unanimous decision (scores not published)
• Paul Ryan beat Paddy Gallagher by unanimous decision (scores not published)
• Bobbi Flood beat Jack Swallow by unanimous decision (scores not published)

Taylor said afterwards that the ending went well beyond anything she had pictured for herself. Her route from an amateur scene that did not officially allow women to box, through to a sold-out Croke Park, is a large part of why women's boxing now headlines cards of this size.