Katie Taylor's father calls it an 'insult' that boxer wouldn't main event Croke Park card
It’s starting to feel like it’s finally happening, after all these years, Katie Taylor could finally get her Croke Park fight.
In her illustrious career, which has seen her win Olympic Gold, undisputed world champion, as well as main event the most historic arena, Madison Square Garden, twice, the one box left unticked for Taylor was a fight at Croke Park.
And it felt like it was just going to be the one accomplishment that wasn’t to be, as any talk of it was just ‘word on the street’ and never really went any further than Taylor and her promoter, Eddie Hearn, calling for it to happen.
Pic: INPHO/Gary Carr
However, in recent weeks, that has changed. It looks like the GAA is looking to host a major boxing event at Croke Park, and with the conflict in the Middle East, it has opened the door to one of the major fights left in boxing.
Tyson Fury was supposed to face Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia, but after Joshua’s car crash and the ongoing war, rumours swirled that it would be moved to Dublin and to Croke Park.
Croke Park Chief Executive Peter McKenna said that the Fury vs Joshua fight ‘would be able to facilitate’, insinuating that Katie Taylor wouldn’t be a main event on a card at Croke Park, despite being one of the biggest names in all of boxing and one of the greatest Irish Athletes ever. Eddie Hearn is set to hold talks with Croke Park execs this Friday about Taylor fighting on the card, ideally as the main event.
Ross Enamait, Katie Taylor, and Eddie Hearn speak during the post-match press conference for LIVE on Netflix: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium on November 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Pic: Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix
This is where Paul Taylor, Katie’s father, decided to speak out. In an interview with The Irish Sun, Taylor was unabashed in his view that his daughter should be the main event on any Croke Park card.
He also felt that there was no need for Fury and Joshua to be on a card, feeling that a historic card such as this at Croke Park should be centred around Irish boxers.
‘I don’t understand why they need AJ and Fury on it first, and then why is there only an interest now when they’re looking to get English boxers? I don’t understand that.’ Taylor said.
Katie Taylor and her dad, Paul. Pic Rollingnews.ie
Paul Taylor said his daughter doesn’t care herself, but he believes that it’s Croke Park’s duty to have Taylor on last on a card. ‘I think she’ll be happy enough to fight. She just wants to fight there, but I just think it should be made possible without this. I think the general public think that as well.
‘I actually find it insulting to Katie and to the country, doing it now just because of their fight, and I think it’s an insult.
‘I think it’s an insult and at the end of the day, Croke Park is funded by the people, the taxpayer and I’m actually upset by that comment.’
