Katie Taylor shares inspirational message with girls of the world
Katie Taylor shared an inspirational message to the next generation on International Day of the Girl.
The Irish Icon, who completely changed the face of her chosen sport, assured young girls that there are ‘no limitations’ on what they can achieve.
The undisputed lightweight world champion, who has been trailblazing since she was a teenager, recalled how she went from pretending to be a boy, so she could get a fight, to becoming the first female fighter to top a bill at the iconic boxing venue Madison Square Garden.
Along the way, she inspired the powers that be to allow women’s boxing in the Olympics, became Ireland’s most decorated amateur and professional fighter, and changed the entire boxing landscape with women now a lot more prominent in the sport than ever.
The Bray fighter, whose next fight takes place in Wembley on October 29, often says seeing gyms packed with young female fighters is now her proudest achievement.
Speaking in a video posted online today she addressed those young ladies and all girls around the world, sharing an inspirational message.
“If you want to headline MSG, you can do that. If you want to win an Olympic gold medal, you can do that.
“If you want to become a champion, you can absolutely do that, there are no limitations,” she said.
“The first time I walked into a boxing gym I was 10 years of age and I was the only girl in there at the time.
“I didn’t know any other female fighters around so I was just constantly training with the boys.
🤯 @KatieTaylor was already an inspiration at just 10 years old
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 11, 2022
#IDG22 #DayOfTheGirl #WomensSports pic.twitter.com/DBOGmB279a
“They were going off to different competitions, they were coming back with medals and trophies and being rewarded for their hard work – but I didn’t have any competition to go to, which is why I had to pretend to be a boy on a couple of occasions just to get a few fights and a bit of experience!
“At that age, I didn’t understand why it was unusual for a girl to be involved in boxing.
“This was my passion and my love and nobody was going to get in the way of me pursuing something I absolutely loved.”
The International Day of the Girl is recognised globally and aims to draw awareness to the gender inequality women from all corners of the globe face in their daily lives.
As well as facilitating discussions on matters such as child marriage and violence against women, the day also aims to motivate young girls to reach their full potential by sharing the stories of trailblazers from various walks of life.
