Croke Park bosses want to grant Katie Taylor’s dream of fighting in the famous stadium – and it could be as early as next summer.
The star revealed back in May – after the biggest fight in women’s boxing history – that her lifelong dream is to fight in the national GAA stadium. She has now said again: “Croke Park is one of the final boxes to tick. It would be an absolute dream to fight in front of 80,000 Irish people.
“I’ve had 21 fights in my career but never fought in Ireland.” The chances of Katie fighting in Croke Park – just like Muhammad Ali in 1972 – has been given a major boost by stadium manager Peter McKenna.
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He yesterday told the Irish Mirror: “We continue to have dialogue with Katie’s manager Brian Peters, so the chances of a fight in Croke Park are still very much there. I don’t see it happening this year – but whether that could happen next summer is something for Katie’s management.
“Fighters need a long training camp before competition and we have our own scheduled of matches. But it cannot be ruled out. If Brian could pull it together by then, that would be something.
“I think it would be great to have Katie in Croke Park. She is one of our greatest athletes, so to have her in Croke Park would be fantastic to see.”
Country star Garth Brooks is due to hold five concerts at Croke Park next month and it is understood that the chance of Katie’s dream come true by the end of the year is unlikely – so the focus is on next summer. Croke Park has a three-gig annual limit as it is in a densely populated residential area.
Households have protested that they can be disproportionately affected by events at the giant 82,000-capacity stadium throughout the year. But Pat Gates of the Croke Park Area Residents’ Alliance said recently: “I would be delighted to see Katie fight at Croke Park.”
He added: “I would see Katie’s fight as a special one-off event for a national hero and an amazing woman.”
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