Flora Pili has expressed her awe at the prospect of facing Katie Taylor in a career-defining bout scheduled for September 5, 2026, at Croke Park. The 28-year-old French fighter will challenge the Irish icon in Taylor’s farewell professional appearance, a contest that represents a major milestone for women’s sports.
The event marks the first return of professional boxing to the 82,300-capacity venue since 1972, when Muhammad Ali fought Al “Blue” Lewis.
The fight will see Katie Taylor defend her WBA, IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine super-lightweight titles, while the vacant WBC title is also at stake. Flora Pili, who remains undefeated in 12 professional outings, admitted on June 18 that the reality of the matchup hasn’t “sunk in yet.”
She will enter the ring as a holder of the IBO championship, having recently defeated Jelena Janicijevic to secure that belt.
Matchroom Boxing is promoting the event in association with Aiken Promotions, Brian Peters, and Title Event Partner, Lidl Ireland. The broadcast will be handled globally by DAZN, reaching audiences in the United States, UK, and Ireland.
For Taylor, the 39-year-old champion from Bray, the fight offers a chance to retire as a three-time undisputed world champion in a venue she describes as the “cathedral of Irish sport.”
French contender Flora Pili faces undisputed challenge
Flora Pili travels to Dublin from her home in Saint-Avold, France, with a perfect 12-0 record. Since her professional debut in November 2019, she has climbed to become the No. 1 contender with both the WBC and IBF. Her career trajectory includes winning the European title in 2023 by split decision and successfully transitioning to world-level contention as a top-ranked 140-pounder.
The French fighter has been vocal about her respect for Taylor’s legacy but remains focused on the five titles on the line on September 5. “Facing a legend like her represents the biggest opportunity of my career,” Pili noted. While some elite fighters pursue different paths, such as when com/david-benavidez-rejects-jai-opetaia-bout-targets-canelo-alva/”>David Benavidez rejects Jai Opetaia to focus on specific weight classes, Pili is committed to her quest to become undisputed champion.
With a knockout ratio of 16.67%, representing two stoppages in 12 wins, Flora Pili brings a style developed through 89 professional rounds. She faces an opponent in Katie Taylor who has 224 professional rounds of experience and a 24% knockout ratio. Pili’s preparation is geared toward meeting a champion who has only suffered one professional loss across 26 previous bouts.
Katie Taylor eyes historic retirement at Croke Park
For Katie Taylor, the September date is the culmination of a career that began as an amateur pioneer. She comes into the farewell bout following a majority decision victory over Amanda Serrano in July 2025. Her résumé includes avenging her only career defeat to Chantelle Cameron and successfully defending multiple world titles across several weight classes during her decade-long professional run.
The Irish star described this homecoming as something once deemed an “impossible dream.” She noted that the support of the Irish public throughout her career made this venue choice essential. Taylor’s career is often discussed alongside other major 2026 developments, such as the Fury-Joshua bout penciled in for later that year.
The WBC’s involvement became official after the sanctioning body ordered Taylor to face Pili for the vacant super-lightweight title. This followed former champion Sandy Ryan being named ‘Champion in Recess’ due to pregnancy. Taylor had walked away from the WBC belt in 2025 for a temporary hiatus from competition, but she now has the opportunity to unify all major belts in her final appearance.
Ticket logistics and venue details for September 5
The event is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM BST, with general sale tickets having launched on Friday, June 12, through Ticketmaster. Prices for the historic card started at €38.70, ranging significantly for premium locations within Croke Park. For those seeking the closest seats, pitchside pricing reached as high as €1,505.50 plus service charges.
Organizers offered a variety of attendance options, including family packages in non-alcohol sections priced at €125.50. This ticketing structure follows a period where fans roast social media claims about event accessibility, but the Dublin event has focused on providing options across the 82,300-capacity stadium. Pre-sales were conducted via Matchroom, Lidl Plus, and for Croke Park residents.
The 10-round championship fight is expected to draw a capacity crowd to the Northside Dublin venue. Taylor acknowledged that Pili’s unblemished record and amateur pedigree make her a formidable challenger. “I’m under no illusions that Flora will present a very tough challenge,” Taylor said, emphasizing that she is not taking the Frenchwoman’s threat lightly as she looks to secure a perfect exit from the sport.
