Promoter Eddie Hearn expressed regret that he had not arranged a fight at Dublin’s Croke Park sooner, following the overwhelming demand for tickets to Katie Taylor’s farewell bout scheduled for Saturday night. The 40-year-old Irish boxer will make her long-awaited debut at the iconic venue as she aims to secure her third undisputed world championship by facing undefeated challenger Flora Pili.

The event is set to draw a capacity crowd of 80,000 spectators, underscoring Taylor’s enduring popularity and the significance of the occasion. Hearn noted that earlier uncertainty from Croke Park officials about hosting a boxing event had initially deterred plans to bring such a show to the stadium.

“If Croker would have originally gone ‘Yes, this is going to be massive’, I would have gone ‘Wow’ and we would have done it,” Hearn said. “But it was like, ‘I don’t know. Blimey, if they’re not sure, do we really want to be gambling?’”

Taylor, widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest talents, will use the bout not only to defend her titles but also to mark the culmination of her competitive boxing career. Her opponent, Flora Pili, remains undefeated and represents a formidable challenge for the Irish star’s final ring appearance.

The decision to hold the fight at Croke Park, a venue primarily known for Gaelic sports and with a capacity of up to 82,300, reflects the growing prominence of women’s boxing and Taylor’s status as a national sporting icon. The event is anticipated to be one of the largest boxing attendances in Ireland’s history and a significant moment for the sport domestically.