Four More Years For Katie.

Pride and Joy; Taylor with father Pete and Irish team coach

“I’m delighted to confirm that I’m going to stay amateur for the next four years and try to defend my Olympic title in Rio,” 
These were the words of Irish Olympic hero Katie Taylor yesterday. 

The Bray native had been the subject of much speculation and numerous offers to turn Professional, including a highly lucrative one from 10 times world champion Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

Olympic Gold

“Obviously when big money offers were coming in they have to be considered but in the end my heart was always in amateur boxing and as I said that’s worth more than any money in the world.” she said. 

Ireland's flagbearer at London  2012 has reaffirmed the belief that she is a true professional without fighting "professionally". Regarded as the outstanding Irish athlete of her generation, having in the past played Gaelic Football for local club Fergal Óg.

She also has played international football for the Irish senior womens team, having progessed from under-9 level and winning a league and cup double at under-11 level with Saint Fergals. In 2000 she became the first girl to play at the SFAI under–13 Kennedy Cup in Limerick and was later crowned WDSL player of the year.

In action for Irelands Ladies team

At club level Taylor played in the Dublin Women's Soccer League for Lourdes Celtic and St James's Gate. She then signed for Peamount United but stepped back from football to concentrate on boxing after playing in the 2010 FAI Women's Cup final, in which Peamount beat Salthill Devon 4–2 at Tolka Park. After winning her Olympic gold medal in 2012, there was speculation that Taylor would quit boxing in order to return to football. When Taylor was linked with English FA WSL champions Arsenal, her father Pete reported that several football clubs were interested in securing her playing services.

Pete is also Katie's boxing coach having begun to train her at the age of 12. Though a success in numerous sports Taylor has stated that Boxing is primary in her mind. "I love playing for Ireland, and I love football, but when it comes down to it I would choose boxing as my number one sport as I'd miss it too much if I wasn't involved,"  she has prviously stated.

In recent weeks, Taylor has also been advised by many in the sport, including former world Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, to turn pro. Others though including the influential WBAN’s T.Sue Fox advised her to remain in the amateur side of the sport for at least the next four years and then consider turning pro only if there was a significant improvement in the state of women’s pro boxing worldwide.

With her announcment, the current Irish, European, World and Olympic Champion, has given hope to many Irish that even now, 4 years prior to the Rio Olympics, Ireland has at least one gold medal in the bag.

Taylor at the Olympics

As for now she is back in training and hopes to have a pre-Christmas bout in Ireland and then seek the Irish Elite title in February. In mid-November, Taylor will be one of only 12 Elite Athletes starring in “First” the official Olympics film.

Taylor also is looking forward to the publication of her memoirs; “ Katie Taylor – My Olympic Dream” an illustrated book, with which she was helped by The Irish Times sports-writer, Johnny Watterson. The book which is being launched on 31st October by the world’s fifth largest publisher, Simon& Schuster. It is already on pre-order at Amazon worldwide and will be in all leading Irish bookshops including Kennys.ie.

In the Book, Taylor reveals how she felt she had to deliver at the Olympics in London as it was the first time that the Olympics had included women’s boxing as one of its events. She had won gold in the World Amateur Championships and the European Amateur Championships on numerous occasions, but this was the biggest tournament of her career.

A highly committed Christian, Taylor has always trusted in her faith to see her through the toughest challenges. Revealing on RTÉ's the Late Late Show recently that she spends time before every one of her fights praying with her mother.

Katie celebrates at Olympics

With a nation willing her on, and her home town of Bray having ground to a halt, on 9 August 2012 she fulfilled her Olympic dream, which she had discussed at the tender age of 15 when she appeared on RTÉ's Sport Stream. Taylor won gold and as she ran laps of the stadium carrying the Irish Tricolour on her back, an entire nation celebrated with her.

Now Taylor has four more years to win more World and European Championships and culminate with more tremendous success at the next Olympics.  It really is a very special story from a truly remarkable young lady.