5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Katie Taylor’s Last Dance

Episode Date: September 3, 2026

Has there ever been, or will there ever be, a bigger send-off than the one awaiting Katie Taylor at Croke Park on Saturday night? Buncey is joined by Stacey Copeland in Dublin as Taylor prepares to bring the curtain down on an extraordinary career. He sits down with the Irish sporting icon and also hears from her manager Brian Peters, promoter Eddie Hearn and trainer Ross Enamait.

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ad-free, with an Amazon music subscription. Is five-life boxing. Katie Taylor in Dublin and Westlife and the weather and 80,000 people, everywhere you go, pictures of Katie on the wall. Posters of different companies she works for. Katie Taylor, Katie Taylor, Katie Taylor. But it's the end, it's the last fight.

And so therefore, it's the last time I'll sit down and preview a Katie Taylor fight. I haven't previewed all 20 of the World Title Fights, but I might have previewed about 16 or 17 of them. I'm joined in the shadow of Croke Park. we're in the shadows because it's pouring with rain, so we've got to get out of the rain by Stacey Copeland. Stacey, by the time we've finished this pod in about 55, 56 minutes time,

we would have talked about Katie the person, Katie the icon, Katie the fighter, because I know you know her well, you've boxed around her, you've been around her at tournaments in all sorts of ridiculous places and points around the globe. Can you believe we're at this point now? We're actually here. It's all over.

in about 48 hours, Katie will be gone. She won't no longer be in our life. That legacy will never be gone, that's for sure. That's the truth. It's hard to fathom just because she's been such a constant, enormous, gargantuan presence and influence and inspiration to our sport and particularly to females in our sport. So yeah, it's going to be a very strange landscape without her,

but I'm sure what she would say is that what she wants is the next generation to come through and be just as big. star as her, if not bigger. That's exactly what she's paved the way for. It is. And we are going to hear from Katie Taylor. We're going to hear from Eddie Hearn, the man who took a message from her back in 2016, basically with her saying, Eddie,

I think I can do for professional boxing, what I did for amateur boxing. We'll hear from a man called Brian Peters, who likes to be known as the farmer, which is selling himself short. He's a tricky, so-and-so, he really is. And he's the man that's been with Katie since that 2016, after the Olympics in Rio and turning professional.

And we're also going to hear from a man who we don't often hear from, and that's Ross Ename, who's been her trainer the whole time. And he does occasionally do interviews. He doesn't talk a lot. He trains. He comes up with strategies. He is incredibly loyal, incredibly loyal. We'll hear from them. But Stacey, you mentioned there about Katie, and I agree with you.

I think she would love there to be a bigger fighter than Katie Taylor in 10 years' time. She'd love there to be a bigger fighter than the woman that was bigger than Katie Taylor in 20 years. time. That's because she's generous of spirit. It is and she's always had that really strong purpose and why if you like, which is to make things better and leave it in a better place to inspire the next generation and if you genuinely truly want to do that then part of it is ensuring that there's the pathway for people to go on and achieve even more than you have and without the barriers that she had to face they absolutely can do now thanks to Katie Taylor. Just mentioned a couple of those barriers because there will be people listening to this

who know the story, know the fact that she had to box. as a boy when she was very young. And no, she broke down this barrier to get boxing recognized in Ireland. And then started charging all over the world, leaving a path, an unbelievable path, you know, sort of in a wake. She, you know, she touched everybody that she went around and she inspired people. Just, just, just, just, just, just tell me a little bit about you personally with regards to that. How, when, or when maybe you first heard about her?

Well, I think for every female boxer, part of her story will resonate, whether you're old like I am because I'm 45, Katie's 40 so I grew up in that similar era both Westlife fans, I know as well. You got an Oasis T-shirt on but I know, I know secretly if I speak to your dad

I know, stop not, stop shaking your head. I'm representing the Manx all day long. I will guarantee find that you went to a West Life concert and you might have made out it was a retro West Life concert but it was still West Live.

I know you're going to see them tomorrow you're really excited about it. It's never happened. I am. I'm absolutely buzzing. But yeah, each generation has a different barrier to cross. Of course, my generation was that generation that was mocked constantly, really, for boxing. And you were made to feel like there was something wrong with you.

And you were questioning, what is up with me? Why do you love this sport? And you were told you weren't good enough to go to the Europeans. You weren't good enough to go to the world. It was a difficult to getting into gyms without pretending to be a boy. And all sorts of other connotations come with that of why do you want to be a boy? Well, you don't. You just want to do the sport that you love.

So I think every success that Katie Taylor's had, every barrier that she's broken down, and other women who came before and have come after and since, it resonates with us because it lifts us all, absolutely, and it provides more opportunities for everyone. What Katie's done, as well as breaking down those barriers, in a literal sense, to get women's boxing into the Olympics. And it's a headline Madison Square Garden.

Those are facts that will stay as they are. But what she's actually done that isn't as measurable, that you can't put on a sheet of paper as an historical event, let's say, is changed people's perceptions of women's boxing. That's as massive as those historical, factual things that she's done. And one thing that, again, all female fighters will be aware of at some point in your career,

whether it's on the biggest of stages, headline in Madison Square Garden, or whether it's going into a local gym that you haven't been in before, you are representing all women in the sport. You don't get judged as an individual. You know that you're going to be judged. Hopefully not.

And I think it's less so now, but certainly back in the day. If you went in a different gym, all eyes would be on you, and it would be like you had to be good because you're representing all of women's boxing, you know. So the pressure that was on her was immense at that time. Because Eddie Hearn often talks about one of the great things she's achieved is that people no longer look at women's boxing. They just look at boxing, and the people in the ring happen to be women.

Anyway, I've got together with Katie about 20 or so hours ago. And one of the things I wanted to ask her, because, you know, we spent an awful lot of time to give us, I wanted to sort of get a gauge of what she considered to be either her best achievement or the best accolade she'd ever had, or the best belt or the best title. What was it that she, I suppose, really, enjoyed the most? Yeah, that's a great question. I think I love the word on the spute it, that's for sure. It's a nice word.

It's a nice word. It's a nice word. On the disputed it. I just love the word champion in general. I think that for me is a nice accolade when you're an athlete. You always want to be the best in your sport and your field. And that word champion is just what every athlete is what wants to hear. So, yeah.

Champion and undisputed. Yeah, yeah. Now, don't usually ask about training camp, but I've got to ask you how training camp's been because I'm wondering if it just feels different. If there's anything different about it, because you know there's an end inside. Yeah.

I think when we started training camp, But officially I was talking to my coach Ross and said, this is going to be our last every training camp process, enjoy it. And I had been very, very intentional about enjoying this training camp. And looking back on all the years I've had, I had my last spar. A few days ago, my last ever spar.

It's crazy. Just looking back at all the amazing people I've met along the way, all the amazing sparring partners that I've had, all the amazing camps I've had. 10 years of camps. 10 years of camps as a pro. And then 30 years in the ring, We, it's all led up to this moment.

And I'm only a few days away now from making my last ever ringwalk. And are you sleeping okay? I mean, is you mindful of a million things? Last camp, Crow Park. Yeah, not really. I'm sleeping very well. I mean, I have a, I'm, it sounds as if I'm just thinking about the fire.

I'm having normal conversation during the day as well. I'm trying to treat this fight like I've treated every other fight. And I know that I have a job to do. here. I have a very hungry opponent in front of me and I just want to stay focus as well but my mind isn't obsessively thinking

about it tonight though I'm able to have other conversations well in between and I just enjoy this week also. Do you feel like you've got several jobs to do on Saturday night? Obviously you've got to win you've got to win but you've also got to what you've got to know it does it see it is bigger than a fight let's not let's get rid of

the elephant in the room. You can say it It's a normal fight. Everybody in the team can say it's a normal fight. I'm trying to treat it like... It's not. Yeah, no, but in my mind, I'm trying to treat it like... As a normal fighter. As a normal fighter, don't we?

Just 80,000 people. Yeah, the biggest send-off in the history of boxing, male or female. It's not only that, it's okay. Exactly, no pressure. Yeah, I think even when people are asking how I'm going to feel in terms of handling the emotions, I'm not sure if anybody can prepare for something like that. No one's been there. Nobody's been there, exactly.

So I'm just going to show up. and please God, I'll have what it takes to actually go out and keep my emotions and check and stay focused and actually winning the fight. There'll be enough time after the fight to reflect on those years, exactly. But yeah. So what about the gym will close its doors for good?

You'll get rid of the sparring kit. You're not going to, or would it be the way you keep fit? Will it be, will Katie Taylor be keeping fit by hitting bags? I'd definitely be keeping fit. I love to feel I'm being fit I think it's been my whole life being in the gym so I won't be stepping away from actually

the gym anytime soon but in terms of sparring I don't think I'll step in the ring of sparr again because I've had too many wars. It's not going for the brain so I'm looking forward to not getting punched again I guess but... Now for those that don't know, for those that aren't Irish and haven't grown up with Croke Park as this sort

of sacred venue just give people, give listeners a sort of idea of what it is like and what it is and what it really means to an Irish person, an Irish sports person, to be competing there, alone starring there. Yeah, well, Crow Park is our national venue. It's where the All-Ireland Finals take place every single year. It's our national sports venue. I think every Irish person bleeds Crow Park.

It's part of our culture. It's part of our history. Every Irish person is glued to the TV watching the All-Ireland Finals every single year. It's just a very, very special venue. And it's overwhelming, no matter how many times you've been there. Is that a fair comment? It is, yeah, absolutely.

You're looking around the place. Last time I was there, it was obviously the initial press conference a few... Walking around on the tower. Yeah, just walking around and looking at the size of venue and even walking through the corridors of the place,

looking at hand out of these picture in there. It's special. It's... There's something different about that stadium. Now, your greatest ring walk, I think, was when you came out to Serrano 1 in New York when you had your special song playing and it took you forever,

get to the ring and it was just tears all well. You can top that on Saturday night, can you? Yeah. Yeah. You can get more even sucked here. Yeah, yeah. No, absolutely. I don't think it would be as long as the one in Madison's Gregard because that was the longest spring walk ever. I don't think I'll get away with that again.

You know, I'll let you in a secret, you can do it your life. Yeah, yeah. You can absolutely do what you like on Saturday. You do you like a week. Yeah, exactly. But it's going to be special just walking out. Yeah, just like I said, it's actually hard to prepare for something like that. And just feeling the atmosphere, hearing the crowd, it's going to be very, very special.

Now, I mentioned that you've got several things to do. One of them is to win. Do you have to win? Or is your heart and mindset on retirement and being gone? No, I definitely have to win. It's important to... It's a silly question about to ask you. It's important to end your career well, isn't it?

To end my career on top. every single time I step into the ring it's always important to win and the times I haven't won I've always gotten back to the next time so I might be retiring after this fight but that competitive is I'm still so competitive

I still have that challenge your mindset as well and my focus is fairly set and actually been in this fight and that's what I'm saying when I'm saying I'm trying to treat this fight no different to any other fight which is really hard yeah it is really hard

dangerous, and it's just, I mean, I can't understand how you could get your head around. It's just being a normal fight, but you can because you're a bit unique like that. Yeah, I'm trying to, for sure, yeah. And the last few months, I've locked myself away during training camp as well and just preparing for whatever comes away on Saturday night. And finally, earlier on, you had played some short pieces by various boxes, some you'd met, some you had them, but everyone you know who said that you'd inspired them, you'd been, you'd been the reason why they often took up. boxing. The young Katie all those years ago, their little girl making out she was a boy, who would she have sent a message to thanking them for inspiring her? I think I would have send a message to Dear Gerobody. She'll be in town. Yeah, and I actually did send her a letter,

write her a letter before when I was young. How old? Maybe he was 40 and 15 years of age. I actually wrote her letter and she was always so kind to her support. It's been incredible. I always made time for me every time she's back home in Ireland as well. And I I'll never ever forget that. She was the only female fighter. I actually knew about the time and who I seen as a phenomenal fighter who I actually looked up to

and she always gave me time. And I'll never ever forget that. And her fight obviously were Christian Martin. We've talked about that before, how special that fight was. Crazy fight. Yeah. On a massive bill.

Yeah, absolutely. Kate, thank you. Yeah, thank you so much, Steve. Thanks for everything. So Katie, you there in fine form. Now, I'm not, I don't think I'm really qualified to say whether I believe she's the greatest ever Irish athlete male or female. But people far more qualified than me and not people in the Katie Taylor business insist that she is. I know that there's rugby players, there's men that have filled that croak part from the GAA, you know, who are national idols.

I mean, you go, you walk over there towards the museum like I did today, today's day. I'm a museum up of you after you did me like a kip with Tutankham in Cairo when you slipped away early in the morning and didn't take me at the seat of tomb. But that's okay. I don't harbour grudges, but I did go to the museum over there. I saw Muhammad Ali's shorts that he wore, from Muhammad Ali's glove that he wore when he boxed in 1972 in the same arena. But when you look at all those names on the walls over there

and you think about some of the great Irish athletes, people that are really qualified are telling me, No, no, Katie is the number one Irish athlete. What's your gut feeling on that? Again, I don't think as a, you know, I'm English, so I don't think it's really for me to say, but I can absolutely see why they would say that. I mean, Olympic gold medalist, that's phenomenal in itself to get an Olympic gold medal.

So the sporting achievements are one thing, but we have to take into account all of the other, I suppose it's a lazy expression, but the cultural significance. There's very few people, I think, in any instance. industry, let alone sport, where you can be really, really successful. So considered the or definitely one of the best in the entire world and everybody likes them. When does that happen? It's really rare. Some people only dislike someone because of the success. Yet with Katie Taylor, that doesn't happen. People are behind her. They're rooting for a, now, there might be the odd one that's had, you know,

opponents or whatever. Fine. That's sport. That's competition. But generally speaking, as a huge human being, you don't hear bad things said about Katie because this entire time, all of those achievements, all of that success, she's been the same person, she's had the same values, she's been committed to being that positive role model to young people and to everybody, and she's been committed to the causes that she believes in. And it's a very rare quality to find in anybody. It is amazing, isn't it? You're absolutely right about that. I mean, I've been around her and interviewing her since about 2008. So it's an awful long relationship. and quotes friendship I've had with Katie and her father, Peter, and a mother, Bridget

and Brian Peters, who I've knew before, I knew Katie. But it is, I've never heard one snippet, one single complaint. The biggest, I suppose, complaint was in the Chantelle Cameron Two fight, before that, she just decided one day on about the Wednesday of the week not to do any media, period. And that included the Irish papers, the law papers, and it included me, which, you know, was a massive kick to my ego. I took a real kick in that day. Paddy the producer loved it

because I was nearly in tears that she would ignore me. How dare she? Anyway, she, that day, she ignored everybody. And when Brian Peters was reasoning with her, she said, Brian, if I don't do anything, what will happen? And there was a silence, apparently. And she said, nothing.

So it was her choice not to do any media that week. And I know the Irish press and some of the British press, I'm joking, I wasn't bothered at all, because I could see in her eyes. She didn't want to talk. And when male and female boxers have that look in their eyes, I don't want to talk to them anyway, to be honest with you. That's another example of controlling your ego.

Every human being has an ego. Sports people, especially, it's part of what drives you to, that pride, to succeed in competition. Everyone's got an ego, but it's about controlling it. And that's an example of it. Because, you know, and I'm not knocking anybody who can't get enough of it, but she knew it wasn't going to serve her ultimate purpose that week of her main focus was that she needed to win that first.

And of course, and the other thing is that we can sort of beat around the bush and talk about the 20 World Tidal defenses and how big they, some of them were and how fantastic some of the opponents were. We could talk about all of the amateur European world titles. But perhaps the reason why we consider her so great is also the fact that if there are 70 girls under the age of 13 from amateur boxing clubs, she'll spend five minutes of every single child. And yes, before you say, but Steve, that will take her two hours. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen her do three and four hours of shaking hands. Let's get at the public workout yesterday, didn't she? She can't turn away.

She can't turn away. Now, AJ's very similar. He can't turn away. But after an hour, he's people turn him away. Katie is her own people. Excuse the sort of the grammar mashup there. But she is her own people. And she does what she has to do.

And I've seen her work that line. And it's just endless. But that's why I think it's so great for us to see her have this moment. It goes beyond what she's achieved. Yes, she's achieved incredible things. Of course she has. But the fact that she is that person and she's being that person right from the beginning all the way through to. And just the way she's spoken this week about her gratitude, how grateful she is to everybody for making this moment happen.

How can you not support somebody who has that ethos and those values? Their humility even. And who's given so much. People want to give back to her. now. Do you think Stacey, and I've been saying this all week on Five Live and talking about it on pods that we've done, that this is officially the biggest ever organized retirement fight party because Ricky had his organised retirement fight party, but he hadn't fought for three and a half years and not being after time. You know, I didn't work on that fight because I was against

the fight. So Five Live went and I gave up a job a night. I said I wouldn't work on Ricky coming back and I didn't work on the night. It hurt me because I love Ricky. but I couldn't face myself. I didn't want to see him in the ring, so I shouldn't be there reporting on it. But this is a different thing. So, Rickies was a big organising, a massive event. It was very emotional.

Of course, he loses whatever in the 9th or 10th round or whatever. But can you think, and I'm not trying to put you on the spot. Can you think of a, this is going to be my last fight, I'm going to go out of a bang that's bigger than Katie Taylor's last fight going out of the bang. No, I mean, there's definitely been them, but not on this scale. Not on this scale. Absolutely not. And it's not just anywhere, is it?

you know, the fact that it's at Croke Park, where we're trying to get for 10 years. Yeah, that still sounds surreal, doesn't it? So even that is just massive in itself. Yeah, massive in itself. And it will be extremely emotional. And that's, when I was talking to Eddie Hurney, and even had the emotion in his voice.

I don't know. Any of us are going to get through it. Oh, no, no. I said, I said last night on one of the Irish radio stations that, you know, a company that makes tissues, I won't mention names, they should be one of the sponsors because there's going to be millions of them dropped.

So speaking to Eddie, I was asking him how he's going to sort of, you know, what's going to be going through his mind? What emotions is he going to be going through as he watches the final ringwalk of Katie Taylor's career? I still can't believe it's about to happen. I'm so excited. Like normally, I'm really excited, a little bit nervous and, you know, but this is like just a pure celebration for the country and a pure celebration for the sport, for her.

the city away. Yeah, and by the way, we really have to win, and it's not going to be easy. She's 40 years old. She's fine, a very good young fighter that's really a big, strong 140-pounder. But I'm just, I just keep thinking about the ringwalk and, you know, leaving a changing room

and like, just to see her, it's not really about just the atmosphere, is to see her get what she deserves and her moment. That's what fills my heart. You know, I mean, I will. look around and go, I can't believe all these people, but I'll be looking at her. Yeah. And I'll be looking at her looking around.

Mouth in the words, whatever spiritual song is coming into. And I can't believe that this has happened. And, you know, we've played a small part of that because she's played the biggest part. But we'll be immensely proud. And, you know, like I said, as a company, as a promoter, will be our biggest night and best night, I believe we've ever had. And the emotions then, in the arena from the cheapest seats at the highest point in that unbelievably, unbelievably.

Liverpool Stadium to ringside will be just off the scale of motion off the scale of motion people wearing their hearts on this leg and this you know because for this country she is arguably the greatest sports person of all time and when I come through the airport today it's not

the odd person it's every single person see it Saturday Eddie I'll be watching go on Katie like it's just like the feeling this is why I love coming it doesn't matter whether it's here or in Belfast or like wherever it's it's like people are so happy and they actually

like I actually got cheered today did you hear it the press it's unbelievable I couldn't believe I'm like I'm going to move here you know and it's like and have a comments every morning but they're you know we're not I'm not asking for thank you but they are thankful that they're going to get this moment yeah and they'll have a great night and that's what it's all about and that makes it very personal for you so you'll be in your cocoon

now you won't just be Eddie Hearn promoter you'll be Eddie Hearn the man that's been part of this journey for 10 solid years now that's going to be realistically, you're not going to be out of hold it together, are you? No, I think, you know, as I said to you, the promo that we did the other day, couldn't stop crying. Stunning. I will cry on the ringwalk, no doubt.

I want to cry on a ringwalk, by the way. I'm not going to be going to be going, oh, this is embarrassing. I'm going to just stand there, probably with the flag, the trike, and just cry. Because that's, how much must it mean to make me cry? Or like, don't you want that? Don't you want things in life that mean something and that give you emotion? Yeah, raw emotion. I mean, I think I'm pretty cold and general.

So therefore, if something happens and I'm flooding with tears, it's got to mean a lot. Yeah. And it means a lot. Eddie, we'll take you back a few years to late summer 2016. So basically, exactly 10 years ago. And you get that direct message from Katie Taylor saying, Eddie, I think I can do for the women's professional game,

what I did for the women's amateur game. Did you sort of pass that around the office or did you make a decision on that? I'm not going to do it a whole history, but it's just that moment. I took the meeting originally because I respected her so much. I saw her win gold in 2012. You know, phenomenal fighter. Brian Peters was her manager.

I love, you know, he's a friend of mine. And I was like, look, it's like, we'll fly over. Like, I was thinking, okay. But then I was thinking, it's going to be awkward because you're going to fly over and then at the end of it, or soon after, I'm going to go, women's boxing just, it's just, I don't think it exists

in the commercial world. Ten years ago, that is as well. And then she came in the office and like, I'm just looking at it. And she's like, fierce, right? And I'm like, this could be pretty, this could be pretty groundbreaking. And then I was like, right, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to headline you in your debut at Wembley Arena in November, in a four-rounder, right?

And I remember my dad saw the artwork or whatever, and he said, who's my main event? I said, Katie Taylor. He went, what? He went, what, a woman's fight? I said, yeah. He went, mate, no one's interesting. interested in women's boxing. I said she's different. I said, you're coming right? Yeah, I'll be there. I said, watch and then we'll talk. She came out that night, I don't know if you remember.

Yeah, do, yeah, of course. Body, switching body head, like a Mexican, like pound for pound fighter. And my dad was like, wow, I've never seen anything like that. When's she on next? And for every one of those people, like my dad, it grew and it grew and it grew. To the point where it was AJ Undercards at Wembley Stadium, American Day. road, yeah. You know, on the road, world champion, unified, undisputed, you know,

the Pursune fight on the AJ Ruiz card, then the rematch in the garden for fight camp, right, during COVID. Can't invent a Kenya. From the Garden to the Lamas. Yeah, the Natasha Jonas fight, right? What a fight,

Manchester. Right? To the Cameron one, and the Cameron two. Victory in a rematch was a mega. The three Serrano fights. She's boxed everyone. Yeah.

So it's like, you know, this is just the pinnacle of that career. So Katie, doesn't know what she's going to do in a post-Katey world boxing world. What are you going to do? What's that night going to be like? We know you're going to be in tears when she comes out.

You'll probably be in tears in the interview post-fight. What happens when you go to bed? Try and go to bed at two or three in the morning. Katie's gone. She's out of our lives. So obviously this week's an interesting one because we've got Taylor Pilly at Croke Park on Saturday night. But we've also got the return of Andy Ruiz in New York on Friday.

So just to explain. This is now Tuesday. I don't even know what that is. Tuesday now, to Gojordinary. I flew in this morning to Dublin. We've done all the media today. Tonight, I will go to Katie's camp house and we would have dinner with the team.

Tomorrow morning I'll fly to New York. We'll do the media tomorrow, press conference, the way in, and the Andy Ruiz fight. I will leave, as Andy Ruiz gets out of the ring, I'll do a quick press conference, get straight on the plane, and fly here to land here on Saturday morning, back to Dublin. All, all ways. while negotiating AJ against Fury as well.

So it's going to be a busy, busy week. So you're being exhausted anyway. What a life. Your sales order says one thing. Your inventory says another. Your spreadsheet says, good luck. Odu brings your business together on a single platform from sales and accounting to inventory and marketing.

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So Eddie Hearn there telling us how he's going to do it. He's not going to do it. He's just going to sit there sobbing it. There was a line he used there. He said, no, I want to cry. I want to cry. I think this might be one of, well, I think this is one of his best ever achievements. as a promoter, what he's done the whole journey

and certainly getting this to Croke Park absolutely up there. He thinks this is going to be the biggest night of his life. I don't know if he's used the word biggest achievement, but I'm with you on that because we know, and we're here from Brian Peters in a moment

with the absolute definitive route from being out there to being over there in that building opposite us, Croke Park. And he'll give us the absolute one by one, step by step, whereas Eddie Deffield, I mean Eddie,

thought it was on, thought it was off, thought it was on, thought it was off. I'm kind of on your side. You know, you've done something people said you couldn't do

and you've promoted her from scratch. From the beginning, though, to believe in that vision and think, do you know what, I can't, I don't know if it's going to work, but I'm going to put everything behind it

and look what he's been able to do, and Matrim had been able to do, it's pretty remarkable. And also, when he took, when he did, when he took control of Kate here, when she talked to him and went to see him with Bridget and Brian

and they did the deal. That was 2016. It was a very different boxing landscape. I know it's only 10 years ago, Stacey. And I know it's 20-odd years into the women's revolution and championships. And, you know, it was four years after the first Olympics and all of that. I appreciate all of that. But it was a very different landscape.

And, you know, if I'd have slipped you an envelope in 2016 said, in 10 years' time, this woman would have made millions and millions and millions in a goodbye fight will be a 21st World Title fight and it'll be at Croke Park in front of 80,000. you'd have had me strapped into a jacket in about three seconds flattening and the back of a van going away. Let's do with a little bit of your favourite Katie Taylor fights or moments or memories,

either personal or professional or both or mix them up. I think in terms of, I mean, the Olympic gold I actually watched that in Hyde Park. I was stood with thousands and thousands of people watching it and it was phenomenal. I think most people there... You're frowned punches, though. I think most people there probably didn't fully appreciate it.

fully appreciate what that was, what had just happened for Ireland, for women's boxing, and for Katie Taylor. I knew what that was going to mean when she came home. So that was phenomenal. And I think the other one, if I had to just pick one, would absolutely be Madison Square Garden, 100%. The first fight. Yeah, the first one.

The first fight with Mansourin. Do you know, because for me, when I went to New York as a 10-year-old with our boxing gym, they wouldn't let me box in those boxing gyms, and my granddad went over to one of the coaches. and said, if you don't let her train, none of my lads are fighting on the show. And I was like, right, what's he doing?

We're going to get shot. He stood up to him and they let me train and whatever. But you know, to think that that little 10-year-old kid I was then, 10-year-old kids now, or anyway, when she headlined, would have been walking around and seeing these giant posters of these two women. That is phenomenal. That's happened in my lifetime. So that one, for many reasons,

but also for just the occasion, the fight. Because you're nervous Buncie as a female. well fighter when there's all this buildup and hype you think please deliver it's got to my God it did all three of them did so yeah those are the two moments for me that stand out personal memory

the first time I actually met Katie because I'd I'd watched lots and lots of times the Caroline Barry fight which is on YouTube and it's been on YouTube for years and I used to watch it as inspiration so that was a fight that took place in an arena it hadn't really happened before in not certainly not in this neck of the woods and you could

you could almost hear the commentators as it on having an evolution in their own minds of wow she can really box she's she's brilliant but it was a fantastic fight brilliant occasion and I watched it over and over again so just to keep that belief that that's where we could go and that's you know what it could end up like for us because it was a snippet of it but it was one of those things that didn't change things forever it was a moment and then everything went back to the same the next day but it was still a glimpse and I met her in person for the first time at my first ever Europeans in Romania and um I obviously saw her at, you know, at Weigh-ins and you're at the drawer and whatever.

It would look to her differently there, didn't they? Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely. She was a megastar. Yeah, absolutely. But she was still a megastar then. Yeah. So, there's Katie Taylor over there? 100%.

She had an aura about, of course she did. That's crazy. I love that. And it was when the first time I actually spoke to her in person was, I'd just won the semi-final. I'd beat the Irish girl in the semi-final. My knuckle was absolutely massive. I'd sustained an injury in it.

And I was thinking, I don't know if I'm going to be able to fight in the final. And it was just starting to sink in. I did end up fighting in it because they gave me an anesthetic in my hand and whatever. But at that point, I didn't know. So I stood there thinking, my life's over. Everything, like the world was ending. And the lift opens, Katie Taylor stood there and gets in the lift.

And I'm like... With a halo above her head, obviously. It's Katie Taylor, yeah. And she, in her lovely, quiet, mannered way says, oh, you poxed really well today. And I was like, oh my God, like, she's actually seen my box. And I was like, oh, thanks, thanks.

And she went, oh, have you hurt your hand? And I was like, yeah, it was, I said, I'm hoping I can fight tomorrow. And she went, you know, just keep believing and do everything the physio says and give all you've got and, you know, just give everything you've got, even if it's with one hand.

And she was gone. Yeah, and I was like, oh, thanks very much. And she went, best of luck tomorrow. And I went, yeah, best of luck to you. And she got out. And you know what? It was 30 seconds interaction that she didn't need to do.

She didn't need to bother with to someone who was at the very first Europeans and someone who's won it, you know, she won it the next day in her final, but she'd won it before and it's very rare you get that Buncey. Let me ask you this. What about inside the pantheon, the list of female fighters? I mean, not just the ones from the last 10, 15 years, that generation of Christine Martin, Lela Ali and not necessarily the great mob from the 70s because they were, I don't think they could have lived with the mob in the 90s.

but where does she sit in that list? So I suppose there's Leila Arlie in the list, Christy Martin, in the list, and Wolf might make the list, although I don't think she's active enough. There's some of the modern ones, like Cloressa Shields. Where does Katie sit for you

in that modern last 30 years? Those are the real women's boxing years on. I know there was Barbara Butrick back in the 50s and stuff, but let's deal with the last 35 years. That's the real period. Where does she sit there? I think she's got to be right at the top. I can't agree.

Because she did, she achieved everything you could possibly achieve as an amateur. And better competition than Claressa? Yeah, she did it right through the Europeans, right through the world and then got that, excuse me, Olympic gold. And then she didn't just turn professional

and do well and be successful. She changed people's perceptions of one, what is possible for women's boxing. She pushed on the pay and they're making things more fair. If you've sold those tickets and you've got the people bums on seats, then you ought to have that

you know, all of that. So I think because of that, and also as we've already talked about who she is as a person and what she represents, that's enormous as well. So I think she's, you know, maybe there's two or three at the top,

that's fine, but she's definitely one of them. Yeah. And that's not, it's really weird because that's not been, I've followed stuff this week and I've been busy this week and I've done lots of five live this week and bits of Irish TV and bits of Irish radio.

And no one's asked that. Everyone's kind of fixating on whether she's, you know, better than Rory McElroy or whether she's better than Mary Peters. It's sort of stuck with sort of the Irish theme. But I think that a place inside the women's pantheon, the modern women's pantheon, is more important. When you compare them, there's the ability, isn't there? Like who's a better actual boxer? Yeah.

She ticks that box all day long because some of them, they did amazing, but they weren't fantastic technical, let's be honest. They might have had some really good scraps. Just say Christy Martin. Stop beating around the bush. They might have had some really good, you know, fights and whatever. And shown a lot of heart. but didn't have the technical ability of Katie Taylor. So that's one box she ticks.

But the other one, that it wasn't even legal here and she fought in that first sanction about with Alana. The pioneer starts out. Yeah, with Alana Murphy, I think she used to be called before she got married. So, you know, then obviously, as you've mentioned before and described, doing the technical and audition for the women's Olympic. So when you factor in all of that, the in and out of the ring, she's the boss lady.

I don't think you can compare it really because she's paved that way. She certainly has paved that way. Now, to get to the top in boxing, you need a good team around you. That's a sort of half a cliche when it's also the truth. You need the right people. Now, of course, a lot of boxers do have the right people, but they have the right people five times because they get rid of this trainer, get a new trainer.

Katie hasn't. They get rid of this manager, get a new manager, which Katie hasn't. They get rid of this promoter, get a new promoter, which Katie has. We've already heard from Eddie Hearn, and we're going to hear from Ross Ename in a moment. I also caught out of a man called Brian Peters. Now, back in 1995, Brian Peters was the promoter, a place called Parky-Kweave in front of about 50,000 people of Chris Eubank and Steve Collins, too.

So he's a man that's used to put it on enormous fights in outdoor arenas here in Ireland. But he hasn't put one on for a long time like that. No one has. So what I wanted to get from Brian, and Brian's, I love Brian to death, but sometimes he can go off on a tangent. In fact, he does love a tangent. But I wanted to try and get him to help me to just go point. by point how we actually finally got to Crock Park and how and why Crock Park agreed to be part of Katie's history, or as he calls it, her story.

A couple of the few words underused in the English vocabulary nowadays is time and a momentum. After the first Amanda Serrano fight, we certainly had it. We were flying. We had the momentum. The fight was, you know, Madison Square Garden, everything was perfect. History, history, history. History. Then we approached.

So then when was that? May 22. April 22. So we, I suppose relationships is very important. I always got on very well with Peter McKenna. Always got on well, you know, all the guys in Crowe Park. Obviously my good relationship with match room. So then we were going well.

Then there was kind of the whole government thing where Eddie and Peter McKenna kind of got into a little bit of a spat, government funding. You know, does Eddie Hearn is two Bentley's enough? Does he need another one? Does the Irish people need to be funding that? So we lost momentum. We went to the three arena. Chantelle Cameron beat us. Well done.

Good win at the weekend she had. Then we had the rematch. We won that. So a little bit more momentum. Then we went on, you know, and look, without doubt, guys, you know, Netflix is just a different level, isn't it? So we fought on Netflix. Did we ever think we'd be fighting on Mike Tyson's undercard?

Not a chance. Like it was insane. It was like a living in a, I don't know what it was. There's 100, 150 feet statues of Katie Taylor. It was mental. So you've got to say MVP got serious momentum. Again, we stole the show. Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, I don't know what it was, but of some circus.

So momentum was flying again. Then we went back to Netflix again. This is 25 now. 25. Before the Amanda Serrano third fight, this is like early 20, 25. Yeah, so meanwhile, I'm working away. at them, trying hard, meeting guys, seeing what, if I get a little thread here, I'm pulling at this, any angle at all. You know, onto Eddie Hearn, using everything, you know, the whole Conner Ben thing, you know, Katie's witcher from the start.

So every little tread I can see, I'm pulling at it. Meanwhile, I'm still meeting Peter McKenna regularly, meeting him in the Gresham and Dublin, trying to keep the whole thing going. So then after we beat Amanda for the third time. Last summer. Last summer. we're in the New York Athletic Club and Katie says Brian that's it which I kind of knew was coming

where she's after putting on a master class display comfortable win no doubt live on Netflix what a way to go we've all seen we're all boxing historians and we're all boxing fans and you know how many fighters stayed too long so I didn't want to see that with Katie so after it we're in the yeah up in the suite and she says that's it Brian

and I says, look, fully agree, fully endorse that, except, I said, that's all I said, was except. And she says, Crow Park, yes. Two words. Two words. So that was it. Now, at this stage, momentum, timing, you know, we're flying, we're rocking. So I just had to get, I think we needed, you know, matrimur great.

They've done shows in front of the pyramids. We all know the aliens built the pyramids. That's for another day. He's done shows in Times Square. They've done everything. But for raw emotion, passion, love, they have never, and love Nas, shout out to Nas. But, you know, we don't need a magic carpet. She's going to come in on a magic carp of emotion and just love.

Like, it is going to be... She's going to float to the ring. It is going to be out of this world. So we're up and running, we're going good. So then Peter Aiken, his father, Jim, I done shows back in the day. Done shows with him with Wayne McCullough. Peter Aitken's done big people here, isn't he? He does.

So Peter does 500. shows a year, Dundegard Brooks. His relationship with Crowe Park was crucial, his relationship with doing big shows and I suppose there's a, you know, we have a great saying, I have a great saying like there is Ireland outside of Dublin and Dublin's a great place.

I know, I know. You know, 65% of the tickets that were bought were bought outside of Dublin. Which is completely different to a Springsteen concert. It's like the other way around it. It's 65% are from Dublin. Exactly. So it's very different. So look, we had the

momentum, had Peter Aiken on board. I'd done a lot. I knew the Aiken's well. He's done everyone. You name it. Rod Stewart, Gardbrook, Spruce himself. And Peter's talking about this being, in his opinion, the biggest event I've ever done. He's declaring that now. Yeah. Before the first bell, before the ring wall, before the lights dim, before that emotion. He's declared it. Yeah, this is an iconic. How would you describe it or what would you compare it? I just think it's an iconic, historical. I'm not sure there's a comparison. monumental sporting cultural moment. It's the biggest official send-off in boxing history.

Yeah. Official send-off. Because last fight, this is my last fight, then I'm retiring. They don't happen as often as you think. No. And they often go wrong, or they're low-key, or the person could lose. Or he's coming back from a defeat like Ricky Hatton, three and a half years out of the ring has his last fight.

No one's calling for it. This is different. This is totally different to anything that's ever happened before. It is. And I suppose when we approached it, you know, you need a few you need a few heavyweights involved. We, it was very important

that it was a family affair. There was family tickets. There was alcohol free zones. The tickets had to be priced properly. And we achieved that. We sold over 80,000 and 17 minutes. Were you, because Peter Aiken went into the ticket office, the ticket master or whatever is. Yeah.

And watched it happening. I was on the phone. No, no, I was on the phone. So let me just get this right. It literally is like you're seeing. You're just seeing it. There's like 300,000 people on the phone. It's just crazy.

So there was an algorithm done. Come on, son. We could have sold 537,000 tickets in less than seven hours. Once they were 250 or under. So I did, I got to admit, lads. And I know this is, look, who says I'm normal anyway. But I did consider trying to fight Katie. If we fight Saturday, could we fight Monday and Wednesday as well.

We could not four rounds each night. Why didn't you think of that? Four rounds a night? Simple. Yeah. But really, look, guys, I think it's the greatest. This is going to be, nothing will ever compare to this. So, Brian, what happens at midnight?

We're back in, you've got me into the dressing room. Katie's it's officially over. There's loads of crying. Bridget's there. You'll be there. What happens when you wake up in the morning? And there's no longer Katie in your boxing life. Over 10 years of Katie in your boxing life.

I know you've got other fighters, but what does Brian Peters do? Do you go for a walk on your own like you like to do? Would you go into that hill of the hill of kings that where you and I have walked before? Yeah, yeah, probably go up there. Look, she's such a special person. We never had a contract. It's been an unbelievable moment in history, the journey. You know, she's got still, like, we're working with Champion.

We're working. She's got so many different partners that we're working with. So there's lots of work. There's a little play going on. Did I hear about this play? Did I hear about this play? Did I mention this play at all? You haven't yet.

Don't worry. There'll be plenty of that. One of our actors is the ring announcer actually tomorrow. Is that right? I didn't realize that. Yes, and he was yesterday as well. I'm trying to get him a few fights. Nothing against you, David.

I love you, David. But hey, give someone else a break too. Well, before I let you go, and that was brilliantly told that story. People will never understand how I had to chaperow you and coach you into giving me that story and how many years it's taken to get out of you.

But do you have any regrets? It's been a great... I mean, we only talk about the roller coaster and the fun, the fun, the fun, and the greatness and the joy and the way that this path-finding call she's been on. But do you have any regrets about any... I used to think real men don't cry.

Yeah, we've seen you cry, unfortunately. I used to think I was kind of John Wayne, Clint Eastman, so that came crashing down. No, no, no, it's a good question. I believe the one fight that probably got away was the trilogy with Chantel Cameron. And this is fact. You know, you can confirm it to it, certainly Frank Smith.

I drove up with my poor long-suffering compatriot, Tomas Rohan, 23 years with me. Had a fine head of hair like yourself one time. Once a full of time. We went up to Belfast. I believe Mr. Crocker was fighting with a meeting with Frank Smith

because it had the time in. So we're after beating Chantel, which I thought we won convincingly. Hey, and she's a hell of a fighter. Michaela Mayer is a hell of a fighter. Beating up Sandy Ryan twice. Went up. I was there to shake hands

do a deal for a very small sum of money. We didn't shake hands. Now, who you want to blame? matchroom. You want to blame Frank Smith, you want to blame Chantel Cameron's management. I don't know. I know I had my hand out to do a deal. And there would have been a trilogy? Absolutely.

I had the date locked in. You could have got that for Crock Park? I'm not sure. I'm not sure. It was probably three arena. To be honest. Yes, yeah. Don't forget. But it was done. It was done. And listen, the zone have been great. Global Humble boxing. What would you do without them? BBC, unbelievable. All the all the attention that they give

the boxing. But Netflix is just that little bit, you know. I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I. I've Inuit, an Eskimo friend, he's talking about this fight. He is Netflix. I don't know if he has BBC Live, but maybe. He definitely does, yeah. In fact, I could just see another one of the people that's been with you a million years. Blondie's walking here.

Blondie? Yeah, I think she might be the Eskimo connection. She's got that kind of. Definitely, Katie would have scoled Chantelle Cameron. It would have been a great fight. I believe the second fight we had, we won easily. I didn't think there was any dispute whatsoever. Fair play, Chantel beat us the first time.

but the Chantelle camera and fight was definitely one that got away yeah yeah Brian you know what it's been a pleasure and I delight Thank you so much and thank you for your service

and thank you for all the focus you put on the guys you know do you leave me anything in your will? I was hoping to be the other way around thank you so Brian now acknowledging that the fight was made and having some regrets that it never actually happened

and not really pointing the finger but you know suggesting that perhaps it could have happened That's just boxing. It is the one defeat in her record, but it hasn't altered any... I'll ask you, has it altered anything about Katie, having lost that fight?

No, I mean, it'd be annoying, wouldn't it? To you'd want to be undefeated. Of course she would. Both of them were close, yeah. It'd be really annoying, but I think she showed something else in her repertoire that we don't see that often from Katie Taylor,

in that it wasn't, you know, typically authentic, technical Katie Taylor. She had to find a way to win, let's put it that way. But she did. She executed it well. Jessica McCaskill all those years ago. 100%.

Which was a horrible fight. And I criticised her and I got pulled over the colds. I had to come on to Irish radio at midnight defending myself because I was critical of her performance. Because she did a box like Katie. You know, you'd rather sort of win ugly than lose pretty. Put it that way and she did what she had to do. So yeah, I feel for Chantelle she would have wanted it. And I feel for Katie that she's got that loss.

But it's not going to factor in the legacy is too big for that. And if anything, It shows that resilience, doesn't it? That, you know, everyone can be great until they get beat, and then we really see, or they get a big injury, then we really see what they made of, and she showed what she was made of. What's really interesting here is there might be one or two people

that have just realised we've talked for nearly an hour without actually talking about what's going to actually happen in the ring, that there is actually a fight. As you said, she could get in the ring and do a few interviews and a bit of shadow boxing. I don't think one person in the 82,000 is the official figure, will complain. That's just the way it is.

but she is fighting, it is a fight, and she has to win it. Now, Amanda really understands how she has to win it, and we'll remind you of that is, of course, her trainer, Ross Ename. Now, I caught up with Ross as well, and had a little chat with him, and I was keen, I was keen to see if he agreed with Katie, who said the preparation is the same. She insists Katie, nothing's different, which I find hard to believe. So I asked Ross, here's Ross on whether you can really just prepare normally

for an event like this. We got to try to make it as normal as we can because we went through it once before with the first Cameron fight where I think maybe, you know, there was a lot of things going on before that fight, but I think the emotions did get to her a little bit and where it's like I think you got to learn from that.

You know, you learn from that. So I think we did and we got to keep our head down because if we lose Saturday, all this is for nothing. So it's like we still got a job to do. And by the way, you know, Pilly's not a walkover fight. She's young, she's ambitious. She gets a really fast start two or three rounds up. and then we got a really interesting fight on our hands.

Yeah. And it was a brave choice. Have you, not that you might not say, but are you looking at watching Katie as you were in camp? Just to see if there's any change when you've landed in Dublin, just to see if there's any signs that may be alarming. Are you looking for anything? No, I mean, look, there's no guarantees in boxing.

We're 40 years old. You know, the girl's more than 10 years younger than us. She's bigger than us. So, you know, we have a job to do. So we got to go out there in box. She's going to try to spoil the day. She doesn't care about the crowd. She doesn't care about Ireland.

She probably didn't understand a word of what anybody said today. No. She's just like that, isn't she? Yeah. So, you know, like I said, we can't think too much about the emotions or the crowd or what it means or reminiscent on the past or the last spa or the last this, the last that. We've got to win. And then on Sunday, we can look back and enjoy it. Yeah.

That's the plan. Now, Ross, I'm going to create a scenario. It's six months time. And you hear... So knock on your door, and it's Katie. And she says, Ross, I've got it wrong. I've got to fight again. What are you doing, Ross?

You know, I'm hoping that that doesn't happen. But look, like... If it did, you know, we know each other well now where I think I can talk to, you know, you've got to know when to step away. Yeah. And, you know, to be honest, I didn't know this fight was even going to happen.

I thought maybe the last fight would have been the perfect way to walk up. My understanding is from doing different pieces with her, and we're talking to Brian, was it was Croke Park or nothing, and then Serrano last year in the garden would have been the last fight? I think so, but I'm not positive. Not positive. She wanted to say goodbye in a way, yeah. Yeah, I think she just had to get the itch out and finish up.

But at the same time, I think she's realistic. She's 40 years old. Yeah. You know, and it's like, if you do this too long, I don't care how good you are, it's going to catch up to you. Ross, let me ask you a question. Can you remember the first time, you came to Ireland with Katie.

And can you compare that with coming to Ireland with Katie, like, for instance, this week? What were two? I remember the debut press conference like it was yesterday. Yeah. And, you know, it's like to look back where we started to where we are, nobody could have ever guessed this. No. Not a million years, you couldn't have guessed this. Yeah.

It's been a lifetime work for both you and her. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, it's been some journey and it's like, I don't want to think about it too much because, like, Like we've kind of even, on Friday, it was like, oh, this is the last bar. And we said, all right, stop talking about it. Like, let's talk about the last win first. Yeah, let's get the last win. And let's make sure we don't do anything with last in it.

The last this, the last day. Now, let's just get the win. Exactly, exactly. Which would then be the last win. No, and it will. It will. I'm confident that she wins here. You can't top this.

She knows it's time. But, you know, we got to win first. That's all that matters. There's Ross Ename there who's treating it like a really serious fight. And that's what he's done throughout Katie's. career, all of those incredible nights. So now we're getting to that point states where I'm going to start saying things that's going to start making me a bit emotional. So it's that point where I say, okay, final thoughts before

we get to it. And then, of course, after the fight, it's going to be final thoughts on her career. It's going to be tough. I mean, I agree completely with Eddie. But just your gut feeling going into the fight. Just your gut feeling. What are you feeling? About what's going to happen? No, so just your gut feeling on how the event will be whether she, you know, you assume she's going to win, but what do you think it will be like? I think it's going to transcend the sporting moment that it is because, yes, ultimately it's a fight

and she's got a fight, she's got a chance to go and dispute it again. But I feel like that's going to be lost in the magnitude of everything else that it represents. It's the first time I've done, half a dozen, bits of five live this week. That's the first time undisputed has been mentioned. Flora Pilly has only been mentioned about three times in about seven interviews, but that's the first time undisputed has surfaced. Yeah, and from a boxer's point of view, that's a great way to go out to be undisputed again.

That's fantastic. But it's not the main point of the night, is it? The main point of the night is to have a farewell, an incredible farewell for, you know, one of, if not the greatest female fighter that's ever been. And so I think it will feel a bit like the Madison Square Garden first fight did, where it's almost, you could use the word spiritual, it will transcend the sport. It will transcend the sport. Katie Taylor has transcended the sport. Well, this week's been all about Katie Taylor.

The fight itself will be all about Katie Taylor. and the aftermath, I can't even get my head around what we're going to do once this fight's over and once her hand is raised and once she's got those belts dangling all over her body, we'll work out what we're going to do when it happens because I don't think you can really plan for what's going to happen in the ring inside that building on Saturday night.

We'll be live from 10pm on 5 live with the fight. I'll have a full team with me, including former world champion and current world champion, Sky Nicholson, Ronald McIntosh will be there and Lydia Daydoy will be flying all over doing interviews. Stacey will be alongside me, doing some talking and doing some presenting and no doubt at the end, doing some blabbing. I've seen Stacey blabbed before.

There will be tissues or hand out. Stop shaking your head. You know you're going to be blabbing. I'm going to be blabbing. You're going to be blabbing when you see me blabbing. That's the way it works. I'll be doing it when I get there. You'll be going over this afternoon.

A little private blab. Oh, so something on my eye, Bunsey. Something in my eye. Katie Taylor, this is it. We are nearly, it is nearly over. Ten years of professional, one of the greatest amateurs, male or female of all time.

This will be the final fight. It will be incredible. I've been Steve Bunce all week, and this has been Five Live boxing. Five Live Sports. So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you laugh. Jet Rambi Dobby.

Lives on BBC sounds. Smash straight back down the ground. This girl. Here ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a fourth cricket and it's the huge one. T-since. Settle down.

Sorry, Ray. Cricket on Five Live in Sport. Oh, I'm living every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sounds. Get more with BBC Podcasts. Wherever you listen. Be the first to listen to your favourite shows like evil genius, good bad billionaire and you're dead to me,

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