One of boxing’s biggest names has hailed Katie Taylor’s Croke Park send-off as the greatest atmosphere he has ever experienced, as the sporting world saluted the Bray woman on her retirement.

Taylor, 40, brought the curtain down on a glittering career on Saturday night, beating France’s Flora Pili on points in front of more than 80,000 fans.

Katie bowed out as undisputed light-welterweight champion.

Katie Taylor
Pic: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

In an emotional finale, she placed her gloves in the centre of the ring to mark the end of her time in the sport.

The scenes in Dublin clearly made an impression on those watching, none more so than former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew, who was among the crowd for the night.

Taking to X, the Englishman said he had never known anything like it.

‘That’s the greatest atmosphere I’ve ever experienced as a fan at a boxing event,’ Bellew wrote. He added that nobody would ever retire from the sport more perfectly, telling Taylor she had ‘completed the game in the greatest way possible’.

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Katie Taylor, black and gold, celebrates after beating Flora Pili for the undisputed Super Lightweight Championship with her manger Brian Peters during the Katie Taylor v Flora Pili: Once Upon A Time – Fight Night at Croke Park on September 5, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing/Getty Images)

Bellew was far from alone, with some of the biggest names in world boxing lining up to pay tribute across the evening.

Taylor, who first captured the nation’s heart with Olympic gold at London 2012, leaves the professional ranks with 26 wins from 27 fights and three undisputed world titles across two weight divisions. The victory over Pili, decided comfortably on the judges’ scorecards, proved the perfect final chapter.

The night had the feel of a celebration long before the first bell, with Westlife performing for the Croke Park crowd ahead of the main event. When it was over, Taylor turned to take in all four corners of the stadium before saying her goodbyes.

Speaking to RTE, she said: ‘I think I was trying to put the pressure on in the last round but I couldn’t get close to her. She was a very awkward opponent actually.

‘I think the last 10 seconds before the bell rang, I said, why not, I’m just going to try to swing and punch myself out for the last 10 seconds. The last 10 seconds of my life in the ring.

‘Looking back on my last 30 years in the ring, from the first time I stepped into a boxing ring until tonight, it’s been absolutely amazing.

‘I wanted to leave it all in the ring. I have no regrets looking back on my whole career.’