Boxing Jun 04, 2026

Katie Taylor to face Flora Pili in farewell fight as WBC confirms fight ahead of Friday announcement

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Katie Taylor to face Flora Pili in farewell fight as WBC confirms fight ahead of Friday announcement

Undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor looks set to end her stellar career against unbeaten French fighter Flora Pili.

Taylor, 39, holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles at 140lbs and will announce her farewell fight on Friday, with Dublin's Croke Park expected to be the venue.

Ahead of the announcement, the WBC appears to have confirmed 28-year-old Pili as her opponent. Pili (12-0) is the mandatory challenger for Taylor's IBF super lightweight title and the top-ranked contender for the now vacant WBC belt.

Champion Sandy Ryan is pregnant and has been made 'Champion in Recess' by the WBC, who has ordered Taylor to fight Pili.

Taylor was previously WBC champion but vacated the belt in 2025 to take a break from boxing.

It means Taylor has the chance to unify all the belts in her final fight and become an undisputed champion for the third time in her career.

The date and location of the fight are yet to be confirmed, but it is expected that Irish native Taylor will finally get her wish to fight at Croke Park.

Taylor's promoter Eddie Hearn told Your Site: "Croke Park is not done yet. But there is unbelievable momentum, as I said before, from the government, from Croke Park, from Katie Taylor, but more importantly, the people of Ireland. Everybody's just got this will-not-be-denied approach to making this happen.

"I have also brought it upon myself, having been there, having seen images of Katie Taylor, just to say we can't not do this. We can't walk away. Whatever the hurdles are, we have to jump them. Whatever the barriers are that are put up, we've got to go straight through them.

"This moment of watching her walking through the tunnel of Croke Park, in front of 80,000 people, would the biggest female event of all time. Forget female boxing, forget boxing, forget men's boxing, this is one of the greatest sporting events that the world will ever see.

"The absolute pinnacle of this woman's life, who has given every ounce of her soul to her country, to her sport, to break down barriers and to pave the way for every female fighter of her generation.

"There will not be a dry eye in the place when she walks out there. I want that moment. Selfishly, I want to stand in the ring and just watch and look around to see the moment that Katie Taylor walks out of Croke Park and ticks off the final box of her incredible career."

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