When Taylor hangs up her gloves, she will do so as one of the greatest boxers of all time and, perhaps, as the greatest athlete Ireland has ever produced.
Taylor has been boxing for more of her life than she hasn’t, taking up the sport aged 12 and making her amateur debut in 2001.
She grew up in an Ireland battling to bring about equality for women. The Irish Constitution recognised women’s role was “in the home” and women were barred from boxing completely.
Her influence and her drive helped usher in a new era for women’s rights in sports.
She fought in the first legalised women’s bout aged 15 against fellow Irishwoman Alanna Nihell. She became a multiple-time world champion before winning an Olympic gold medal in 2012.
Taylor revolutionised the professional game, and alongside her contemporaries smashed through the glass ceiling and brought women’s boxing to the pinnacle of the sport.
She is also one of five boxers, male or female, to become undisputed champion in two weight classes in the four-belt era.
Taylor has always carried herself with grace and humility, paying tribute to the women who came before her, those who laid the path for her like her hero Deirdre Gogarty.
She has represented Ireland with dignity and excellence. But she still has one more dream – to fight at Croke Park in front of as many of her people as possible.
Costs have scuppered that dream to date, but perhaps the opportunity of a fairytale ending for an Irish icon will be bring one last dream to fruition.
Who could argue she doesn’t deserve it?
