Katie Taylor was once a sensational footballer and Roy Keane has a soft spot for her too
Katie Taylor will bid to settle her rivalry with Amanda Serrano in emphatic fashion on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson card. The pair will share the ring in an undisputed light-welterweight showdown on Friday night, two years on from their first encounter that is considered one of the greatest women’s bouts ever. The first fight between Taylor and Serrano was an instant classicEd Mulholland/Matchroom Champion Taylor beat Serrano at Madison Square Garden in New York via split decision in April 2022, and a rematch has been on the cards ever since. In their first meeting the Irish star, who was battered and bloodied from a brutal fifth round, fought back to beat Serrano in an epic contest that ebbed and flowed to the finish. After that, Taylor suffered the only loss of her career, falling to Chantelle Cameron in May 2023. But just six months later, the 38-year-old avenged that defeat to reclaim her IBF, WBC and WBO women’s super-lightweight titles. She now walks into AT&T Stadium as the undisputed champion looking to further cement her legacy as one of the greatest female boxers of all time. But things could have been very different for the Bray County-native, who also had a promising football career back in the day. Taylor, who played as a midfielder and a forward when she was younger, is actually a Republic of Ireland international with 11 caps and two goals to her name. She featured for the senior side between 2006 and 2009, after also representing her country at under-17 and under-19 levels – playing for the latter when she was just 15-years-old. According to Taylor, her boxing training helped her football career because it made her physically strong enough to bridge the age gaps. Still, the Irish star went on to switch her focus solely to boxing and that decision was justified when she won Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games. Katie Taylor (bottom right) has represented Ireland at senior level on 11 occasionsGetty Taylor went on to become a boxing iconMark Robinson/Matchroom And despite stepping away from football to forge a very successful in-ring career, Taylor still got to share a sweet moment with fellow Irish legend Roy Keane, who was one of her idols growing up. “I spoke to Katie after she got beat in the Olympics [quarter-final in 2016] and I’d just seen an interview where she was really upset,” Keane revealed on The Overlap podcast. “I got in touch with her and just said: ‘listen, keep your spirits up’. “And that was it. We kept in touch, the odd text here and there. “But yeah she came to an Ireland match once and I met her. Amazing fighter and she’s certainly doing Ireland proud.” Taylor will have the chance secure even more glory when she steps into the ring with Serrano on Friday night. Taylor definitely made the right career choiceAFP The must-see Paul vs Tyson card will be streamed live on Netflix, with millions around the world expected to tune in.
Katie Taylor will bid to settle her rivalry with Amanda Serrano in emphatic fashion on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson card.
The pair will share the ring in an undisputed light-welterweight showdown on Friday night, two years on from their first encounter that is considered one of the greatest women’s bouts ever.
Champion Taylor beat Serrano at Madison Square Garden in New York via split decision in April 2022, and a rematch has been on the cards ever since.
In their first meeting the Irish star, who was battered and bloodied from a brutal fifth round, fought back to beat Serrano in an epic contest that ebbed and flowed to the finish.
After that, Taylor suffered the only loss of her career, falling to Chantelle Cameron in May 2023.
But just six months later, the 38-year-old avenged that defeat to reclaim her IBF, WBC and WBO women’s super-lightweight titles.
She now walks into AT&T Stadium as the undisputed champion looking to further cement her legacy as one of the greatest female boxers of all time.
But things could have been very different for the Bray County-native, who also had a promising football career back in the day.
Taylor, who played as a midfielder and a forward when she was younger, is actually a Republic of Ireland international with 11 caps and two goals to her name.
She featured for the senior side between 2006 and 2009, after also representing her country at under-17 and under-19 levels – playing for the latter when she was just 15-years-old.
According to Taylor, her boxing training helped her football career because it made her physically strong enough to bridge the age gaps.
Still, the Irish star went on to switch her focus solely to boxing and that decision was justified when she won Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games.
And despite stepping away from football to forge a very successful in-ring career, Taylor still got to share a sweet moment with fellow Irish legend Roy Keane, who was one of her idols growing up.
“I spoke to Katie after she got beat in the Olympics [quarter-final in 2016] and I’d just seen an interview where she was really upset,” Keane revealed on The Overlap podcast.
“I got in touch with her and just said: ‘listen, keep your spirits up’.
“And that was it. We kept in touch, the odd text here and there.
“But yeah she came to an Ireland match once and I met her. Amazing fighter and she’s certainly doing Ireland proud.”
Taylor will have the chance secure even more glory when she steps into the ring with Serrano on Friday night.
The must-see Paul vs Tyson card will be streamed live on Netflix, with millions around the world expected to tune in.
