“I don’t understand why everybody asks me about retirement’ – Don’t mention the R word to Katie Taylor
Retirement remains a dirty word around Katie Taylor [21(6)-0].
The Irish sporting sensation can’t fathom why she is being probed about hanging up her gloves and doesn’t seem to welcome queries as to when she may exit from pro boxing.
Considering she is 36 and has won more than any fighter could ever have dreamed of whilst transforming a sport, there are some who have suggested we are in the final chapter of one of the greatest Irish sporting careers.
Speaking to Irish-boxing.com on Friday, her promoter Eddie Hearn hinted he wouldn’t mind if we were approaching the end game and would be happy to see Taylor retire undefeated, although he did point out, that if in boxing you are only as good as your last performance, then the Wicklow wonder is still operating at the highest level.
For Taylor it’s simple, she will stop when she no longer loves the sport or doesn’t feel capable of competing, she also seems to suggest she will let people know when that is!
Speaking ahead of the latest defence of her title against Karen Elizabeth Carabajal [19(8-0] at Wembley Arena tonight Taylor said: “I don’t understand why everybody keeps asking me about retirement. I feel good. You definitely can’t go on forever. But I feel very, very good right now and very fresh.”
“I just absolutely love my sport, I absolutely do. I love the boxing gym. I love the sparring sessions. I love the hard work in the gym. I am not sick of it. I am still as passionate about boxing as I ever was.”
The best is yet to come ✨ @KatieTaylor
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) October 29, 2022
Taylor was last seen in the ring making history on top of a Madison Square Garden bill and beating fellow pound-for-pound star Amanda Serrano in the ‘greatest female fight of all time’.
The best is yet to come ✨ @KatieTaylor
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) October 29, 2022
Carabajal is a big step down in terms of quality and notoriety and this fight only has a fraction of the fanfare surrounding it, none of which changes anything for the Irish Icon.
She says she approaches each fight the same and the desire to win never alters.
“It’s not difficult for me to stay motivated, to be quite honest,” Taylor told BoxingScene.com. “Every ring is the same once the bell rings. The same applies to Wembley, even. This is where I made my debut. The last six years have flown by for me. I’m looking forward to stepping back in there where it all started. It’s been an amazing pro journey.”
