Quick Facts
| Full name | Katie Taylor |
| Sex | Female |
| Nickname | “The Bray Bomber” |
| Nationality | 🇮🇪 Irish |
| Born | July 2, 1986, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland |
| Age | 40 (as of 2026) |
| Division | Lightweight (first undisputed reign); later super lightweight (final undisputed reign) |
| Fighting stance | Orthodox |
| Status | Retired (final fight: September 5, 2026) |
| Career span | 2016–2026 (professional); amateur career began at age 12 |
| Height | 5’5″ / 165 cm |
| Reach | 66 in / 168 cm |
| Total professional fights | 27 |
| Wins | 26 (6 by knockout) |
| Losses | 1 |
The Story
Katie Taylor grew up in Bray, Ireland, the daughter of an Irish mother, Bridget, and an English-born father, Pete Taylor, a former amateur boxer. Pete began training Katie at age 12, at a time when women’s boxing wasn’t even officially sanctioned in Ireland; her early bouts were fought almost in secret, against a sport that barely acknowledged her existence. She also played football at an elite level, representing the Republic of Ireland women’s national team, before boxing became her singular focus.
Her amateur career was simply dominant: five World Championship gold medals, six European titles, and, in 2012, the first-ever Olympic gold medal awarded in women’s boxing, won on home turf-adjacent soil at the London Games, a result that turned her into a genuine national hero in Ireland. She closed her amateur career with a staggering 176 wins against just 12 losses.
Taylor turned professional in November 2016 and moved through the paid ranks with similar speed, winning a world title in just her seventh professional fight. Her defining achievement came on April 30, 2022, when she faced Puerto Rican star Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden, the first women’s fight ever to headline the historic venue. Billed “For History,” the fight lived up to its name: a furious, competitive battle that was later named Fight of the Year by Sports Illustrated and Event of the Year by The Ring. Taylor won a narrow split decision, launching a rivalry that would define the remainder of her career across three total meetings.
The only loss of Taylor’s professional career came in May 2023, a close decision defeat to England’s Chantelle Cameron in Dublin, in a fight many felt could have gone either way. True to her career-long pattern, Taylor avenged it decisively in a rematch that December.
Taylor and Serrano met twice more: a 2024 rematch Taylor won clearly, and a July 2025 trilogy fight at Madison Square Garden, streamed globally on Netflix, which Taylor won by majority decision, both fighters agreeing afterward that a fourth meeting wasn’t necessary.
Taylor’s career ended exactly where she’d always hoped it would: at home, in Dublin. On September 5, 2026, she faced France’s Flora Pili at Croke Park, Ireland’s largest stadium, becoming undisputed super lightweight champion for a third time with a clear unanimous decision win (scores of 100-90, 100-90, and 98-91). It was the first boxing event held at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali fought there in 1972, and over 80,000 fans packed the stadium to watch Taylor close her storied career on home soil, with her father Peter at ringside to celebrate with her.
Katie Taylor’s Croke Park Fight: What Time, What Channel, Did She Win?
For anyone searching the specifics of her historic farewell:
- Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
- Opponent: Flora Pili (France)
- Location: Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
- Where to watch: Streamed live on DAZN
- Did Katie Taylor win? Yes. She won by unanimous decision (100-90, 100-90, 98-91), becoming a three-time undisputed champion and retiring with the win.
Best Fights on YouTube
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano I (2022) — Full Fight, Matchroom Boxing:
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano III (2025) — Fight Highlights:
Katie Taylor vs. Flora Pili (2026) — Croke Park Farewell, Highlights Courtesy of DAZN:
Katie Taylor’s Net Worth
Estimates place Katie Taylor’s net worth at around €17 million (roughly $18–19 million), a figure reported by several outlets following her final payday from the Croke Park fight, though her exact net worth isn’t publicly confirmed. Her biggest single payday reportedly came from the July 2025 Serrano trilogy fight, estimated at around $9 million, while her Croke Park farewell is also understood to have added a significant sum on top of her already considerable career earnings. Treat all of these figures as informed estimates rather than confirmed numbers.
Is Katie Taylor Married? Her Husband
Yes. Katie Taylor married Sean McCavanagh, an Irish-American, in 2025. Speaking on Ireland’s Late Late Show, Taylor said that after a lifetime spent entirely focused on boxing, “love snuck up” on her later in her career than she ever expected. The couple lives a quiet life together in Connecticut, United States.
Katie Taylor’s Father: A Complicated, Reconciled Relationship
Pete Taylor coached Katie from childhood through her Olympic gold medal win in 2012. The relationship later became estranged, Taylor has spoken publicly about distancing herself from her father’s boxing club starting around 2015, following events connected to his personal life. In more recent years, the relationship has visibly healed; Pete was present and celebrating with Katie ringside after her final professional win at Croke Park in 2026.
What Religion Is Katie Taylor? The Meaning of Psalm 18
Katie Taylor is a devout Christian, and her faith is one of the most consistent threads throughout her public life. Raised within her family’s Catholic background, Taylor’s faith deepened further after her mother Bridget’s own conversion experience, described as being shaped by an encounter with a Christian couple that led to Bible study and church involvement. Taylor has said her faith, alongside boxing and family, forms one of the three central pillars of her life.
Her signature scripture is Psalm 18, which contains the line “The Lord is my rock,” and which Taylor has worn embroidered on her fight robe and gear throughout her career. She’s spoken about reading the psalm before every fight and has walked to the ring to contemporary worship music on multiple occasions, including before her historic Croke Park farewell.
6 Lessons We Can Learn From Katie Taylor
- Pioneers often start with almost nothing. Taylor fought in near-obscurity for years, competing in a sport that barely recognized women, before becoming an Olympic champion and global star.
- A single loss doesn’t define a career. Her only professional defeat, to Chantelle Cameron, was avenged decisively just months later.
- Rivalries can elevate everyone involved. The Taylor-Serrano trilogy didn’t just build two legacies; it helped legitimize women’s boxing on boxing’s biggest stages, from Madison Square Garden to Netflix.
- Reconciliation is possible, even after real estrangement. Taylor’s relationship with her father shows that family relationships can heal, even after years of public distance.
- Staying grounded in your values sustains a long career. Taylor has consistently credited her faith as the stabilizing force behind two decades of elite competition.
- Finish on your own terms, if you can. Taylor worked for years to make a Dublin farewell fight happen, and she got the ending she’d always envisioned: a win, at home, in front of her people.
FAQ
How old is Katie Taylor? She was born July 2, 1986, making her 40 years old as of 2026.
What is Katie Taylor’s record? 26 wins (6 by knockout) and 1 loss, across 27 professional fights.
Who is Katie Taylor fighting in Croke Park? Her final opponent was France’s Flora Pili, on September 5, 2026.
Did Katie Taylor fight Natasha Jonas? Yes, twice: Taylor beat Jonas in the quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympics, and again in a professional undisputed title fight in May 2021. You can read more about Jonas’s own trailblazing career in our full profile of Natasha Jonas.
References
- Wikipedia — Katie Taylor
- Wikipedia — Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano
- Wikipedia — Pete Taylor (boxing coach)
- BoxRec — Katie Taylor fighter profile
- Sky Sports — Katie Taylor wins final fight of boxing career after beating Flora Pili
- The Irish Times — Katie Taylor’s farewell fight at Croke Park in pictures
- Goss.ie — Katie Taylor’s net worth revealed as boxing legend earns huge payday from final fight at Croke Park
- TheJournal.ie — ‘Love snuck up’: Katie Taylor enjoying break from boxing and quiet life with husband
- Premier Christianity — The Christian faith of Katie Taylor
- Irish Catholic — God’s champion of the world
- SI.com — How to Watch Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 3: Date, Start Time, Fight Card & More