Katie Taylor. Boxer. Role model.

She’s more than the woman you see in the ring

Who is Katie Taylor and why should you care?

Katie Taylor from Bray, Co. Wicklow is class all the way. She can lay legitimate claim to being the best woman boxer alive. The fight game is famous for hype, but her story is real. She came up in Ireland when girls weren’t allowed in the ring, conquered all opponents as an amateur, won a Gold Medal at the Olympics and reigns supreme as a professional. Her fight Friday night (7.11) at Madison Square Garden against Amanda Serrano from Bushwick in Brooklyn could be epic. It will be the first-ever all-women’s boxing card in Madison Square Garden history. There’s that hype.

As for making you care about two women slugging it out in the ring for as many as ten two-minute rounds, all I can do is share some of Katie Taylor’s life story and let you decide. Forget the stereotypes of brash, bellicose, trash talking fighters. They don’t apply to Katie Taylor.

Professional boxing isn’t what it used to be. All the buzz nowadays is about Mixed Martial Arts. While those who grew up as kids watching the Gillette Friday Night Fights in black and white on tiny television sets prefer bouts in the ring, a new generation likes cage fighting.

Katie Taylor and women’s boxing are old school; reminders of a different era.

Her career and what life she has outside the gym are explored in a Netflix documentary called Katie. If you’re even slightly intrigued by her story and not turned off by the brutality of boxing, check it out. It may make you want to watch her fight Friday night on.....Netflix. There’s that hype again.

Friday July 11 - 5 P.M. PST – Madison Square Garden - Netflix

Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano

Undisputed Super Lightweight Championship (140 lbs)

All-women's fight card. Eight bouts.

Katie Taylor fought 260 bouts over 15 years as an amateur, starting when she was 11. She won the Gold Medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Breaking down barriers

Boxing in Ireland was still very much a man’s world in the mid-nineties when Katie Taylor set her sights on winning a Gold Medal in boxing at the Olympics, which didn’t even have women’s boxing at the time.

“These are men telling women what they should and shouldn’t do with their bodies.” Johnny Watterson Irish Times

*When she was 12 in 1998, girls weren’t allowed to box so she tucked her hair into a net, pulled on her headgear and fought as K. Taylor. And won.

*When she was 15, she fought the first ever women’s boxing bout sanctioned in Ireland. And won.

*When she was 26, having helped convince the International Olympics Committee to add women’s boxing to the Games, she fought for Ireland. And won a Gold Medal.

*When she was 30 she started boxing for money as a professional. Her first bout was at Wembley Stadium in London. And she won.

Katie Taylor (39) has 25 fights as a pro with 24 wins and six knockouts. Amanda Serrano (36) has 51 fights with 47 wins, 1 draw and 31 knockouts. Taylor will be a slight underdog Friday night.

“I hope I’m a good role model and a good example and also that I can counter the stereotypes that women can’t do sports like this. At the end of the day, women’s boxing is here to stay, regardless of what these people say.” Katie Taylor 2009

Faith and family

Katie Taylor grew up in a working class housing estate not far from the Irish Sea in Bray. Her dad is English. Her mom is Irish. A former pro boxer himself, he coached her for years until “cracks in the wall” began to appear. Her parents split up when she was 28. She is still very close with three siblings and her mom Bridget.

She is an intensely devout Christian. Her walk-on song blasting through the arena is an amped up spiritual called Awake My Soul by Hillsong Worship. Bridget prays with her before bouts, even asking God for “accuracy in her punches.”

She’s single and told The Athletic she gets tired of people asking about her “relationships.”

“I guess people are just interested in my personal life. I get it all the time. It’s a bit annoying at times but I’m just polite and get on with it. I don’t think male boxers get asked it, though.”

In Katie she elaborates. “I’m not too sure I want to get married or have kids. I have enough work taking care of myself. I’ve had opportunities in relationships but none have worked out. Not the right guy I guess. I’m very happy as a single person.”

Katie with her mom Bridget, who became a boxing referee when Katie started out. With her dad Peter, who is no longer her trainer and manager.

What’s next for Katie Taylor

Regardless of the outcome against Amanda Serrano, Katie will fight again. There are past opponents waiting in line to take her on. As the most popular woman boxer in the world she’ll command top money when she fights.

Top money, however, is a relative term. She and Serrano are expected to take home $9 million each. When social media influencer Jake Paul fought former champ Mike Tyson last year he made a reported $40 million and Tyson took home $20 million. Paul promotes Serrano. The two men made a public wager of $1 million on Friday’s fight. Tyson went with Team Taylor. Paul went with his client.

Further reading and recommended viewing

Forbes has a good preview article.

The Netflix documentary Katie is very good. (Subscription required.)

Million Dollar Baby starring Hilary Swank as a boxer and Clint Eastwood as her coach (he also directed).

DISCLAIMER - Though I hold a leadership position with the Portland Hibernian Society, any opinions given at Gallagher’s Irish Celtic Corner are strictly those of the author and no one else.

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“Forget all this men’s boxing and female boxing. She’s one of the biggest stars in the entire sport. She’s fighting in the US next. She should be a worldwide star.” Promoter Eddie Hearn in 2018