Some of the biggest names in women's boxing have paid tribute to Katie Taylor after the Irish great ended her career with victory over Flora Pili at Croke Park.

Unified lightweight champion Caroline Dubois called Taylor "one of the best to ever do it", while Claressa Shields said the 40-year-old deserved to "ride off into the sunset".

Taylor beat Pili on points in Dublin to become undisputed light-welterweight champion and retires with 26 wins from 27 professional contests, Olympic gold and three undisputed title triumphs across two divisions.

"Thank you so much for paving the way," Londoner Dubois wrote on X. “Wishing you happiness, success and joy for this next season.”

Taylor was sharper throughout, repeatedly beating the Frenchwoman to the punch before finishing with one final burst of combinations as the crowd rose to its feet.

American Shields - the self-proclaimed Greatest Woman of All Time - added: “Congrats Katie. Now ride off into the sunset. You deserve it all.”

Super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner described Taylor as "a trailblazer who helped set the stage for all of us".

"What a legacy," she wrote. “It's been a privilege watching your journey from the beginning.”

‘There will never be another one like her’

Taylor's farewell unfolded in front of more than 80,000 fans in Dublin, with Westlife performing before the main event and Croke Park providing a fitting backdrop to her final night.

Former world champion Carl Frampton said Taylor's relationship with the Irish public was unlike anything else in boxing.

"You can tell that she doesn't enjoy doing stuff in front of the media, but she still has this adulation from everybody," the Northern Irishman said.

“Katie Taylor is different, she's special and there will never be another one like her.”

Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew described the occasion as one of the most remarkable exits the sport had seen.

"I don't think in all of my years of watching this game, I have seen an exit as beautiful, amazing and fitting," he said.

“She has just retired as the greatest champion ever. I have never seen a fighter leave as an undisputed champion on their own terms.”

Former world champion Barry Jones picked out the final 20 seconds, when Taylor produced the kind of rapid combinations which defined so many of her biggest fights.

"That's what you really remember about her," he said on the Dazn broadcast.

“Those rallies of big punches, combinations and that's how she finished her last fight.”

American Mikaela Mayer - who was also ringside - was struck by the final image of Taylor placing her gloves in the centre of the ring.

"I was sitting there watching her put her gloves in the centre of the ring and it's like a story," she said.

Taylor had long dreamed of fighting at Croke Park and had made clear she wanted the stadium to stage the final chapter of her career.

Bellew said there was "no way" Taylor would return to boxing, although he could see her remaining involved by mentoring younger fighters.

"She will always be there to give her advice, speak to her and help her," he said.

“But ultimately she will sail off into the sunset and who could possibly deserve it more.”

Source: BBC

– Agencies