5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Thank You, Katie Taylor

Episode Date: September 6, 2026

Will we ever see the likes of Katie Taylor again? On an unforgettable night at Croke Park, she said one final goodbye to boxing in front of 80,000 fans and brought down the curtain on one of the greatest careers the sport has ever seen. Stacey Copeland joins Buncey in Dublin to reflect on an extraordinary farewell and try to put into context what they witnessed. We also hear from Katie, her promoter Eddie Hearn, her manager Brian Peters and her father Peter.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Growing businesses deal with the same problem, too many tools, too much back and forth and not enough time. Odu helps bring it all together. It's an all-in-one business management platform, fully integrated from sales and accounting to inventory and marketing, so your team can spend less time chasing information and focus on growth. Whether you're in retail, manufacturing or service, Odu gives you one place to manage your business. Visit Odu.com to book a demo. It's O'DOO.com. The murder of Tupac Shakur has generated nearly 30 years of rumors,

conspiracy theories and unanswered questions. Now the mythology is about to meet the courtroom as the trial gets underway and Nevada prosecutors try and solve the mystery of who killed Tupac. And what really happened on the Las Vegas strip that night in 1996, it's time to separate fact from fiction. I'm Anishka Matanadowity and for you. the BBC's Fame Under Fire podcast. I'll be inside the courtroom every day

and I'm bringing you with me. Join me for Fame Under Fire, the Tupupac trial, the testimony, the arguments, the moments that matter and all the legal analysis. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Five Live Boxing. So we knew it would be emotional.

We knew it would be special and it was. Sure Westlife are good. 80,000 people with their lights on their phones making it look like we were lost in the miracle way. That's terrific. Grace being sung and the atmosphere and people dancing and people crying and people hugging each other. That's terrific.

The fight, sure, it was... There was a fight, obviously, but it wasn't about the fight. It was about Katie Taylor. And she never let anybody down. I'm Steve Bunce, and this is Five Live Boxing. Well, the fight finished probably about, I'm no. It's 50, 60 minutes ago. 80,000 people are just about left the arena.

Off to my left, the security, just at the end of the Nally stand where I'm sitting. They're throwing there, having their debrief and they're taking off their high viz. Over to my right, they're slowly starting to take down the zone hut. So I'm sitting on the famous steps at the standing area at one end of this unbelievable arena croak park. It's called the Nally stand. And I'm sitting here, Stacey and I are sitting, Stacey Copeland and I are sitting there. Stacey Copeland and I are sitting here like a couple of people who might be sitting down watching a sunset on the last day of their holiday, the final sunset of a glorious seven day.

As I said sunset, they've dimmed the lights. Does it feel a bit like that to you, Stacey? We're just at the end of a glorious, gorgeous something. It was called Katie Taylor's career. And it started for those of us that knew about 17, 18 years ago. You were with her fighting alongside her, what, 12 or 13 years ago. I was recording her in 2008, and tonight, it ended. It finished.

She won the fight, but we knew she'd win the fight. She became undisputed champion again, but we knew she'd become undisputed champion. What we saw in here tonight with the three bangers from Westlife and just 80,000 people holding up their phones and Michael Flatley dancing behind us, it was magical. It was quite incredible. I think the rollercoaster of emotions was incredible. After the Chief Support bout finished

and it ended in odd circumstances, but that's by the by. Then they got all the big bangers on. It was like a massive 82,000 person karaoke session. 80,000 karaoke. Real party festival atmosphere. Then Westlife got on, they did world of our own,

more partying. Then they did raise me up. That was the first time that you started to feel a lot of people wobbling and the emotion hitting them. Then, Ethan Scott and Rochino, got in the ring and did grace.

Oh my gosh. That was it really. It was all better off at that point, weren't they? Then they did the anthem. Yeah, all better off then. It was really. Every single, I took my headshot then. You had your head set on and I was thinking, I was looking to you and I was thinking,

if you're going to try and talk to me, forget it. Because I am not answering. I am not going to talk through a moment like that. I don't give them, I don't care. I don't think any of us could speak. I mean, there was not a dry eye. You couldn't speak at the end of it because you were, you couldn't. And that was before the ring walks, by the way.

When Flora Pillar Pillar. came in, you know, there's a few booze, whatever. I think she, you know, she handled herself really well, made a ring walk, but obviously then, it was like a collective intake of breath and brace yourself. And that hum, a very loud one, by the way, but a hum just before the moment, that anticipation. And then when we first saw the glimpse of Katie Taylor on the screen,

a skin was all shiny, obviously, because you have a lot of Vaseline on, she had her braids in, she was not the Katie Taylor that we've seen all week, smiling. Yeah. having photos with everybody. She had a braids in, she had that look, that warrior look. I'm ready to fight now.

It was the fighting warrior. I'm ready for this now. Yeah, the warrior, Katie. And what I noticed was she didn't look pale. And I always looked for that because that means that your adrenaline has rushed your system and your blood has gone to your vital organs. She wasn't. She had colouring her cheeks.

She looked relaxed. I thought she looked relaxed. She knew what it was, but she was relaxed. Again, a bit like the first one with Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden, that ringwalk. It was spiritual. It transcends. the event. It wasn't a ringwalk. It was like a pilgrimage to that ring for the final time and then

well I was gone. I've never had to broadcast before. Scott Nicholson was working. She was gone. And thank God you were there because you were able to fill in while we were trying to collect ourselves. But you know what Buncie? It's because I've been really really privileged to be part of some of these massive events at Spurr Stadium and Wembley and Saudi and Cairo. I pinch myself. I can't believe it and I never take it for granted. but never before us won

meant this much to me because as I said when we're broadcasting her story is our story whether it's former boxers female boxers, current female boxes women who've worked in boxes

who've officiated who've reported on boxing her story resonates with all of us and every single one of us would never have been able to dream that a night was like this was possible and to see a female fighter and women's boxing

on this massive stage in this massive platform and the love that everybody had for Katie Taylor, a female boxer, it blows you away. And you can't help but get caught up in that emotion. You get sucked into it. But let's just run you through a little bit.

So she was using a thing called the Ali Tunnel, the Ali Tunnel. And that's because Mohammed Ali fought here in 1972, and it's the tunnel he used. It's the tunnel he revisited in 2003 with Nelson Mandela. He emerged from it then when he was here in Croke Park for the Special Olympics in 2003. She came through there, she was on a massive ramp.

Stacey and I both did that walk today and filmed it. It takes a couple of minutes. It took her only about three or four minutes. There was a spiritual hit. One of her favourite songs was playing, and she was mouthing the words and looking up and sucking it in. But the place itself, there were moments every time I looked up where there would just be people cuddling each other and high-fiving each other.

And right behind me, Patrick Kielty, the TV and radio presenter, and Michael Flatley, the Lord of the Dance, were cuddling each other. There was something collective and full of love. Brian Peters, who we're going to hear from in a moment, her manager, promoter and friend, he talked about Nassim Hamid, the great boxer who just left us, just come and said hello and left us. He came to the ring on a magic carpet.

Well, Katie came to the ring on a magic bed of love. And when I did manage to get hold of Katie up in the ring afterwards, which was a privilege, one of the highlights so far of my 40-year working career working ringside, When I got up close to her, I was just stunned by just how calm she looked. I'm always amazed how small she looks when she's in the ring in her robe. And I started by just basically trying to get a sense of how she controlled it and what it really meant to her.

I wasn't sure how it was going. She was actually very, very awkward, wasn't she? And she just kept punching with me. But yeah, I did box very smart. But I wanted to catch her cleaner. I just wanted to take it to her for the second. have to fight but I'm just happy to get a great win. To end my career as a three-time

won the spieler champion. This is the stuff of dreams. I always wanted to end my career strong and thank God I was able to do that tonight. What was it like at the end when the ring was cleared and it was just you and a flag and your gloves and the belts placed in that centre circle? What was that laugh? I saw you walking around just taking it all in. Try and tell me what that was like.

You can't really take it in when you're actually in the middle of it because yeah I have a job to do it with me saying it all week so I just have me my blinkers on walking into the arena tonight and it's only when the clothes are all to I can actually look around and take it all in then and I can't believe I had I I sold out this place really sold it out really sold it out it's incredible at the end of the ninth going into the 10th I turned to Sky Nicholson who was working with me and I said Sky what will she be going through now and I look around and she was crying she couldn't even talk to me so that's

what she was going through. How could you be so calm especially at the end of the ninth round going into the last 120 seconds of your boxing life? I don't know. I guess I'm just so focused and I'm in here. Like I said, I have a job to do and I knew when the vinyl bell

was over there like an injection enjoy this moment and I just take it all in. It's amazing that my whole family are in the ring right now where I'll be all enjoy this amazing journey together. Wouldn't be in this position today without them. What a journey. What a journey. What an amazing adventure over these last 30 years, I suppose.

And nobody could have imagined this. I don't think anybody could have imagined the headline and end of my career like this. It's incredible. And it being, I mean, you know, you weren't out here, you're in the changing rooms, but I can tell you, the hour before you came out, well, Bridget was there, dancing, dancing,

for West Life, we were dancing, we were dancing to the bangers they were playing. There was beyond the party atmosphere. I felt Michael Flatley was going to break into a routine. Now I assure you. Yeah, yeah. I wish I had to be able to... It's a well for you, having a great time. I'm in the dress room, a high blood pressure, stressed out,

you're all enjoying yourselves. It's always the way, not now, it's all over now. You've retired, you've finished with boxing. Yeah, well, but you know what, there's this next season with life I'm super excited about as well, and this was always going to end. It has to end some way and to end my career on a high. every athlete wants to end their career in Ohio and I had the chance to do that, thank God.

Let me just say, it's been a pleasure and a delight since about 2008, talking to you, covering you, working with you, screaming for you at ringside, and perhaps crying the night, who knows? Katie's been a pleasure, no, thank you, darling. So Katie, sounding very calm there, and the reason for that, Stacey,

is if you remember, they did something really good tonight, really iconic, is they cleared the ring out after DeZone had done their interviews. They evicted me from their... the canvas. But I realised there wasn't throwing me out. They were moving them because they had a plan and the plan was that Katie would place her gloves

as a sign of retirement and also leave us a fantastic iconic final image. And all of her belts were placed in the middle of the ring. The four belts, or the six or so belts that she's got, or the 12 belts, she's got whatever you want. And then she put her gloves down. But something happened in that

slight crossover. All of her family were in the ring. None of her family are in the ring. No one's in the ring except for Katie. Taylor and she was walking around with the flag, still 80,000 people in here celebrated it. But something happened. The entire atmosphere and vibe dropped. So you can hear it in Katie's voice there. Maybe that's exhaustion.

Maybe that's what I mean. I know about those wave of emotions. As I was saying, we've had a mass karaoke. We had a party celebration. Then it went really, really spiritual. Then it went really emotional. Then there was that, you know, huge buildup as always, as David Diamante was doing the official introductions. and then you get that hum just before the first bell.

And then, of course, everyone's engrossed in the fight and enjoying the action. Afterwards, hand was raised, everyone was really pleased. You know, it was the fairy tale ending. She got the win. But then, as you say, that reality hit of, oh, my God, that's it. That's it, yeah. And Eddie Hearn, I thought that was really classy from him

and well pre-planned to, you know, he had the microphone and he said, you know, I want to give her this honour to share with all of you. And as you say, everyone got out of the ring. and Katie Taylor really took a time to go around every corner of the ring waving blowing kisses all of that to generally genuinely feel like every person in here

was part of it and then placed the gloves in the centre of the ring and then it was that yeah that collective feeling of wow that is it I was during just before just after that I had chatting to Bridget

her mother and she was exhausted now Eddie Hearn came over now bear in mind Eddie Hearn started the week here in Dublin on Tuesday and he hosted a press conference and we did a fantastic interview of him which was part of our pod on Five Live plus we played it out on various shows

across the BBC network but then after that he flew to America to be with his new heavyweight Andy Ruiz, the former world champion Andy Ruiz fought last night in New York and then Eddie jumped on a plane with one or two other people from Desone including the MC David DeMonte

and got there at him at whatever time this afternoon and came or whatever time this afternoon or Saturday afternoon and came to ringside so he was exhausted anyway but you could just see he was drained he was close to falling in I think I think yeah exhaustion will be right because of that rollercoaster emotion not just from tonight but the entire build-up to this

but I think what there was was an enormous sense of relief a sense of relief that it all went well for Kate's in that she got the win that it wasn't too overwhelming for her that we actually did it did get the fairy tale ending there's been no problems at Croke Park The crowd are fantastic. The atmosphere was perfect. The whole thing was as close to perfection in a fairytale ending as it can.

But also for them, the loved ones close to her, it is a sense of relief in the long form sense that they have been through these ups and downs, which are, I mean, the highest highs in the lowest closing sport. For 20 years, of top level. 20 years are top level. The high of London 2012 and the other spectrum, the low of Rio 2016,

and then this brand new journey now in professional boxing, which was up and down and up and down. You know, all of that they've been through as well and whilst watching her get punched and she has been in some brutal fights where she's been cut and hurt and in the trenches. So for them, it's a relief that this night played out as they would hope to the fairy tale ending

but a relief that Katie Taylor has nothing to prove. There's nothing to fight now in or out of the ring and she can enjoy this incredible legacy and this new chapter for herself. As she said to Bravrava's, and sisters from the ring. You don't have to watch your little sister getting hit in the face anymore.

Anyway, as I say, I did speak to Eddie, and, well, obviously, Eddie's Eddie, and he's always got his eye on things, but this was a very, very, very humble Eddie Hearn. You know, we said that it would create a moment here tonight that the sport would never forget, and that's exactly what we did. And, you know, it was a tough fight in there.

You know, I know the scorecards are wide, but Pilly was strong, and, you know, Katie just started to tire a little bit at times, I'm not surprised, like the emotion of the week, the ring walks, everything around it, and still look fast, still look sharp, still had all those attributes, and what an atmosphere in here. As I said, you know, we're 15, 20 minutes in to the interview after. No one's left. And that's just the sign of pure respect for one of the greatest to ever do it.

What was it like on waiting for her to come in? Because we were seeing it on the big screen, the place was going crazy. And I was seeing everyone sucking in breaths, including Katie a little bit. What was that like for you, Ed? It was hard. But, you know, like you're looking at her. and you want her to enjoy the moment, you know, everything that she's achieved,

everything she's dreamt of, this moment was an impossible dream. And that's why it meant so much to people, because it wasn't like, you know, when AJ wins the Olympic gold, and you just expect him to go on and start filling arenas. All of a sudden,

you've got a young girl from Bray who basically walked into an amateur boxing club and was told to get out because young girls can't fight. She put her hair up in a ponytail and pretended she was a boy. She went to the IOC and she forced them to allow women's boxing

into the Olympics and then went on and won gold in London 2012. You know, people said there wasn't a place commercially for women's boxing. She headlined arenas. She boxed at nearly every major stadium across the country. She headlined twice in Ireland. You know, she filled up Madison Square Garden headlining that trilogy. She's now a three-time undisputed champion. And you know what, Bunty, more important, as I've said you before,

you know this is quite a toxic world that we're living in boxing. Have you ever heard one person say anything negative about Katie Taylor? Never, ever, ever. It doesn't exist because she's got the purest heart. She's one of the greatest people you could ever meet and work with. And she deserves this moment. And I can't wait to see the pictures, the ringwalk, the fireworks, all of this stuff that made tonight so special.

Eddie, I could sit back and look at pictures and look at images and take them. I assure you, they are breathtaking. Eddie, just confirm in six months' time she knocks on your door. You're saying, I don't know, Katie, get lost thing you're up. No, that's it. That's it. You can't come back after that. You know, that's every box tick. That's every door busted and burst down in terms of her desire, her appetite, and her resilience, you know, and incredible.

What a person, what a fighter. She's 40 years old, Bunsey. It's a fight like that at 40 years old. I mean, still at times, particularly in the first four or five rounds, I'm thinking, you look sharper than ever. And, yeah, incredible, incredible night. Growing businesses deal with the same problem. Too many tools, too much back and forth, and not in.

enough time. Odu helps bring it all together. It's an all-in-one business management platform, fully integrated from sales and accounting to inventory and marketing, so your team can spend less time chasing information and focus on growth. Whether you're in retail, manufacturing or service, Odo gives you one place to manage your business. Visit Odu.com to book a demo. It's O'Dhawr. The murder of Tupac Shakur has generated nearly 30 years of rumors, conspiracy theories and unanswered questions. Now the mythology is about to meet the courtroom as the trial gets underway and Nevada prosecutors try and solve the mystery of who killed Tupac. And what really happened on the Las Vegas strip that night in 1996, it's time to separate fact from fiction. I'm

Anishka Matanda Dowity and for the BBC's Fame Under Fire podcast, I'll be inside the courtroom every day and I'm bringing you with me. Join me for Fame Under Fire, the Tupac trial, the testimony, the arguments, the moments that matter and all the legal analysis. Listen on BBC or wherever you get your podcasts. Eddie Hearn there, exhausted. And one or two people have said to me in the last cynics in the last couple of weeks, said, oh, Bunsey, you know what, she's got another fight in her, she's got another fight.

I don't need to ask you, Stacey, but I will ask you, she'll never come back. Well, that's not a question. I'm telling you, she'll never come back, will she? Definitely not. I agree. Katie Taylor is, you know, one of those champions that has things in perspective. She's grounded deeply in her faith, which helps. helps guide her. She knows she will never top this, ever. Nobody may ever top this, actually.

Will we? Well, that's what I mean. Nobody might ever top this, let alone Katie Taylor as an individual. I don't think this will ever be topped. So she is the kind of champion that wants to go out at the very top. And she did say in an interview, you know, you're better off going out with a little bit left. She knows she could fight again. She's got a lot left. But that's not the point. Yeah, she's got a lot left. She's 40 years old now. And, you know, she acknowledged everybody she wanted to say thank you to. But for the The first time we saw an expression of public affection for her husband, which Katie Taylor has had an intensely private, private life for years, which is, you know, lots of speculation and she kept it private and that's her right to do.

We don't often see that. That shows that she's ready now to enjoy that life with her partner and her family and move on from what has been. Let's be fair, she looks immense and spectacular every time she fights, but it's grueling on the body, it's grueling on the mind, it's grueling on the soul. And she's 40 years of age now. Yeah, those kind of fights with Amanda Serrano and Chantelle Cameron, take a piece of you.

She deserves this now. She absolutely deserves. Now, one person who we never hear from when we talk about Katie Taylor, a professional, and that's because he's no longer part of the family. You know, he separated from Bridget back in late 2015, and that's Peter Taylor, of course, was in her corner at the London 2012 Olympics.

I spoke to him a couple of times this week's day, so I've went and found him and he went and found me, and we've had some chats, and I was both a bit surprised, but at the same time, delighted to see him in the ring at the end. So this is a really rare privilege for me, having spoken to Katie in the ring and Bridget in the ring and Ross Ename in the ring maybe 15 times in the last 10 years. It was a delight to finally get Peter at a fight and in the ring after a vivant. victory. Here I am with Peter Taylor. Steve, that's the first time I've seen in boxing live as a professional fighter because I usually watch

the fight after I'm known the result, you know? So it was tough to watch because it was easy watching when I'm in the corners because I've controlled. I'm involved in it, you know, and I can control. Then I don't want to be showing things into it in case

it's contradictory to what she's being told in the corner but actually controlled the fight. Some night, wasn't it? Some night. I knew she controlled the girl I said watch the girl but he's controlling your emotions in this I mean I think I've seen a thing

an interview with yourself saying how are you going to control your emotions I was thinking how is she going to do it especially when they had all the lights on from the cameras I was saying how are you going to control your emotions but she did it

I mean she did it in London 2012 when she came out to that incredible noise she's the calmest person in the place she was the calmest person in it tonight as well I know I couldn't believe her and even the walk I was just putting out of it

out there and I said, I says, how's she doing her? And I was a wreck. But look, look, it's great, it's over now. Sad it's over as well, but it's the right time. It's the right time. It's the right time.

You know, to be five, ten years ago, the girl wouldn't have stayed with her for five or six rounds. Let's be honest about it. And now, it's the right time. It's about celebrating now. Peter, it's been a delight, Peter. And Steve, let me tell you something.

When before anyone knew, Katie, Before I even won the World Tyler You were on to me Every second week And you've been the person You've been there from the start They're a very person From the start to the really end

And look I really appreciate that People say about I help, Kerry was saying I helped with the women's boxing You did because without the media And like it yourself There'd be no women's boxing as well And I really appreciate that

And I mean that from the bottom of me aren't me Peter that's so kind of you to say Thanks very much my friend See you later Thanks brother Stace I didn't know that revelation he gave us there that's the first time

he's ever seen her fight as a pro I was stunned by that I'm really gobsmacked by that but you know what this is another thing that transcends sport that you know that that difficulty she went through that obviously affected them massively at Rio

2016 that family breakup was huge and we know what that does to people you know it's deep deep wounds so it's wonderful to see that they're now you know back together as father and daughter in that relationship and, you know, has been rebuilt. But for him to be here on this night is so poignant. That means even more, yeah.

And she gave, you know, she obviously praised him. She massively praised him as well. Yeah, paid homage to him just to say he taught me to box. He's, you know, and all of those photos of her as a little girl and a young woman were with a dad, you know, training her. And really special moment. And Bridgett as well, by the way, as, you know, I know he spoke to as well. and she is, I love how she's so excited afterwards

and jumping up and down in the ring and Katie's so calm. But, you know, I think Katie's calmness was because what was more important than her own emotion was making sure she had the clarity to thank everybody she wanted to thank and that's another example of the kind of person she is. You know, sometimes I say to fighters after big fights,

I say you'll get through tonight and then sometime, even late Sunday or Monday, you'll just go, whoop, where's my body gun? You'll be, you'll be straight. you'll be flat. That'll be the same. Now, one man who came over to us and spoke to us earlier on

who I've known since he promoted the Steve Collins, Chris Eubank, two fight at Parky Creeve back in 1995 and a man who's been instrumental and not just Katie's career, but an instrumental as being us here, us being here in Crop Park. He's a man called Brian Peters.

Now, he's the promoter as the manager, and not many people have heard him talk. He's only started speaking publicly for about six months. In fact, Paddy, our producer, Paddy, is the producer, has been on at me for about four years. Let's get Brian Peters on.

And I'd say, Paddy, Brian Peters doesn't talk. We can't stop now. Now we can't stop, you know. I did catch out with Brian. Now, Brian often tell stories that seem unrelated and they come back together again. Sometimes it takes 20 minutes. This is a slightly more direct, Brian.

And just like the rest of the people in the Katie Taylor business and in a Katie Taylor lifestyle, everybody is exhausted. Here I am with Brian Peters. Brian, lots of people talk about this event here tonight and who made it possible. born how it was made possible.

Those of us in the know know that it was you. No, no, no, no. Don't try and get all coy on me. You absolutely hounded everybody here to make this happen tonight. I did. And would you believe Mike Goodall remind me yesterday, Mike reminded me, 31 years ago, I'd himself from Frank Warren in Crow Park.

We were looking at Steve Collins, Chris Eumbach number two. Before it went to Park, Before we went to Parky Quive. So thank you, Mike. And we also straightened out the Neil Diamond situation. Now, we need to nearly call Mike in on this conversation to clear it up. You kind of want shares in that song done.

You believe... Just tell us why you deserve the shares in that. Instead of talking about Katie, we're talking about Neil Diamond. That's what I love about you, Brian. Only Brian could do that. So I'm in the hospitality industry. I had a lot of top DJs. I brought him into the fights, trying to

do something different. It was between two songs. It was between two songs. It was between Come on Eileen, Dexie Midnight Runner. But as a nod to my father who passed in 93, Paddy Pee, he always had Sweet Caroline on. I played it, Mike set up the ring, he used it. So we're taking 50-50. We need Neil Diamond. Have you his number? We need to ring Neil. I haven't got these number on me. But tonight, what was it like for you, the pressure for you in the changing rooms before the fight? Because you were out relaxing an hour before hand. But I was watching your face in the dressing when you were waiting in the down there in the Ali tunnel to come out what was that like I suppose words I'm not sure words are invented that's I could use to describe it it was

iconic it was historical it was legendary it was monumental it was just a cultural sporting moment that will never be repeated mostly because we'll never see another Katie Taylor. You know, we've grown up with her, we've known her story for 25 years, she's so special. She's so humble, such, you know, such a humble, ordinary,

extraordinary, ordinary person, I keep saying, I know, but it's just, she hasn't changed one bit. She was phenomenal, look how good she was tonight. First four real, she was master class. Vintage. But this is what you want. This is, you know, we all love Sugar Ray, Leonard, Muhammad Ali, but they got out too late.

Katie Taylor's getting around. We had the fairy tale ending. The fairy tale ending, it's very difficult to do. We had it with the win. And nice that her father, Peter, was in the ring tonight. And she praised him unbelievably. It was beautiful. I really liked that. She wouldn't be the person she is today, you know, calls restoration. And look, life is full of ups and downs. It's all about relationships. You know, Pete done so much, but it takes so many people. It just takes so many people. It was so special. What a ring walk. You know, I see Naz out there. We all love Naz. He had his He loves Katie.

He does, but we had a magic carpet of a motion. What a ring walk. Motion and love, man. So no one. Thank you for your support. It means so much. So Brian Peters there, closing my 20 odd minutes in the ring,

surrounding, and what a privilege. I didn't want to leave the ring. You know, we have that. We have that when we have a really good night, a ringside stay. See, I don't want to go back to a hotel or out for a drink. I've just had a, you know,

we've just witnessed something mad, like, you know, let's say Vladimir Klitsko against Anthony Joshua. don't want to leave that night and I'm a bit like that now. That's why I use that analogy at the top. It's like you and I sitting here. We've had a great week on holiday and now we're looking out at the last sunset of our holiday. It feels a bit like that, especially because we're on the position here. We're sitting in the standing area. So let's get straight to it. And I'm not sure, we're not going to sum it up in one word, but try and put it into 30 seconds. I know you can

because you've done it all week. Just what Katie Taylor has meant. You know what? forget what she's meant to boxing. Sky Nicholson said that it's not just Irish women, it's Australian women. I know you've said it before and you might have done it already this week. I don't care. Do it again. What's Katie Taylor meant to you personally, Stacey? She gave us all belief. She's changed women's boxing forever.

There's no going back now. I mean, she literally got into the Olympics and then got gold and lifted an entire nation who've been with her on this journey ever since. And it's very, very rare that somebody can achieve everything that she has. achieved in Olympic style boxing and then in the professional side of the sport that she can leave such a legacy

and inspire an entire, well, several generations actually. Change a sport and leave it in a not even a better place, a completely different place that was unimaginable 30 years ago was that 10 year old little girl who wrote that letter to Deirdre Goghiti

and we go back on that that she wrote I don't think it's ever going to really take off properly here but hopefully the letters box in the Olympics. Well look what she has achieved. And to do that and remain so humble, so dignified and be that positive role model every single day of all of those years

is something to aspire to. And, you know, it's the highest standard as an athlete, but also as a human being. That's why she's so loved. And I just would finish by saying thank you to her. Because without people who are prepared to go through what you have to go through to do all of that, then the world isn't changed for the better.

and all of us, our lives have been enriched by the presence of Katie Taylor. I think it's those two little words at the end, that every single female boxer, wherever you are in the world and whatever age you are, we'll use those two little words, thank you. And they'll be in different languages, but they'll mean the same thing. Thank you. You've put it into perfect context, but it's just really those two little words. Thank you, Katie.

Thank you for giving us what you gave us. Thank you for the sacrifices you made. Thank you for reinventing and changing women's boxing for the better giving us the boxing, forcing us into the Olympics from various things. And sure, there are other women, sure there are other great champions, and they have been in the last, or the 10, the decade of...

But there's only one Katie Taylor. There's only one Ricky Hatton. It's thank you. That's the key word. For me personally, since about 2008, she's given me her time. Peter Taylor, as he mentioned there in the interview, has given me his time.

in those early days. And it's been a privilege from the very start. Finishing with the privilege of being ring side tonight, finishing with the privilege of being up in the ring during that last interview with her.

I did the last interview with Katie Taylor whilst she was a boxer in the ring. That's a nice little accolade. I don't mind that. It's been a joy. I hope you've enjoyed this week and I hope you enjoyed the way we've built Katie up

over the last eight or nine years. She's featured in the dozens of pods. We've been all around the way. world watching her. It's been a pleasure. Stacey, it's been a great night, it's been an emotional night, it's been an unforgettable night, a truly unforgettable night. And it has been that way for me. It's really been a privilege being part of this Katie Taylor story. I'm Steve Bunce. We're sitting somewhere in Croke Park, and this is Five Live Boxing. Five Live Sports. So here's the first ball of this series.

All the cricket you laugh. 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. Trey, gosh. Tettle that.

Sorry, Ray. Cricket on Five Live on Five Live Sport. Oh, bliving every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sound. The murder of Tupac Shakur has generated nearly 30 years of rumors, conspiracy theories and unanswered questions. Now the mythology is about to meet the courtroom as the trial gets underway

and Nevada prosecutors try and solve the mystery of who killed Tupac. And what really happened on the Las Vegas strip that night in 1996, it's time to separate fact from fiction. I'm Anishka Matanda Dowity and for the BBC's Fame Under Fire podcast, I'll be inside the courtroom every day

and I'm bringing you with me. Join me for Fame Under Fire, the Tupac trial, the testimony, the arguments, the moments that matter and all the legal analysis. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.