‘King of the Katie Taylor fan club’ Eddie Hearn ready to do ‘everything we can’ to make Croke Park happen

Eddie Hearn believes one the greatest female athletes of all time and the woman that changed boxing deserves a homecoming – and has called on all relevant parties to try and make it happen.

The Matchroom boss has become gradually more bullish about a massive Croke Park fight night for Katie Taylor [21(6)-0] as the undisputed lightweight world champion’s fight with Karen Elizabeth Carabajal [19(6)-0] draws closer.

The Essex fight maker has discussed potential undercard fights with Irish-boxing.com and yesterday told this media outlet the event can happen without Amanda Serrano.

The DAZN-aligned promoter, who also guides the careers of Gary Cully and Caoimhin Agyarko, has been open about sell-out concerns, but now seems fully committed to making it happen.

In fact, he has called for help from the powers that be to help facilitate ‘one fo the greatest Irish sporting moments of all time.’

“In my opinion, this would be one of the greatest Irish sporting moments of all time, so therefore we should do everything we can to make it happen,” Hearn told Irish-boxing.com.

“That goes for us [Matchroom], that goes for Katie, that goes for Croke Park, the Irish government for the Tourism Board for the council, we should all get together and try and make this happen.

“This is the kind of event that can allow people to go out and celebrate that sport is great, Ireland is great and Katie Taylor is great. Fingers cross Saturday goes well and then we can make it happen.”

Hearn doesn’t need to be prompted to celebrate Taylor. The promoter is genuinely a super fan and explained why he holds her in such high regard after Friday’s weigh-in.

Hearn points out that the Wicklow wonder is a unique talent and a wonderful role model who has changed the face of an entire sport.

“She will never really take the credit because that’s not what she is like,” he adds. “But I’ll say one thing when she made her debut at the venue she is fighting at on Saturday, we got laughed out of town, ‘a female fighter on the card’? and we headlined her. People said ‘thats a joke’ and look at it now. Every broadcaster, ever promoter all of a sudden conveniently love women’s boxing, bullshit.

“My Dad, Frank Warren, Bob Arum all thought women shouldn’t be boxing. They watch Katie Taylor once and they are fans and she has done all of that. Don’t get confused now that women’s boxing is all of a sudden flying when we’ve been grafting our nuts off to get us here and she’s been doing it for 30 years.

“She’s never asked for any thanks, she never asked for any appreciation and we should give it to her in droves. She is a wonderful individual, she is a great athlete, she’s a tremendous fighter and we love her to bits,” he continues before involuntarily chipping in on the recent GWOAT debate.

“To be the greatest of all time, yes it’s between the ropes but it’s also about how you carry yourself, it’s about how you inspire generations the paths you thread that others can follow. This is the greatest female, not even fighter, one of the greatest female athletes of all time. I hate to be the king of the Katie Taylor fan club but I am, she is amazing and [working with her] is one of the best things we’ve ever done.”