Thomas Carty, Paddy Donovan, Tyrone McKenna, Emmet Brennan, Matthew Boreland, Paul Ryan, Paddy Gallagher, Adam Olaniyan and Bobbi Flood will all feature on Katie Taylor’s historic Croke Park undercard after Matchroom officially confirmed the supporting bill for the Irish icon’s final professional contest.
The September 5 event promises to be one of the biggest nights in Irish boxing history, with more than 80,000 fans expected to fill GAA headquarters as Taylor attempts to become a three-time undisputed super lightweight champion against unbeaten French challenger Flora Pili. Before the Bray legend makes her final ring walk, Irish boxing fans will be treated to a card packed with domestic talent, featuring two all-Irish clashes, a heavyweight crossroads fight and several of the country’s brightest prospects.
One of the night’s headline support bouts sees Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty face Britain’s Dave Allen in the biggest fight of his professional career.
The Dublin heavyweight returns to the biggest stage in Irish boxing looking to continue his comeback after overcoming the devastating knee injury suffered in his lone career defeat to Dajuan Calloway in America.
Allen arrives with a reputation as one of Britain’s toughest and most entertaining heavyweights. The Doncaster favourite shocked Johnny Fisher last year before taking on Arslanbek Makhmudov and Filip Hrgovic in recent outings.
Victory for Carty would comfortably rank as the biggest win of his career and could catapult him into the mix for major heavyweight opportunities.
Another of Ireland’s headline attractions sees IBF welterweight mandatory challenger Paddy Donovan return following his statement victory over Lewis Crocker, with Belfast veteran Tyrone McKenna standing between the Limerick southpaw and further momentum in an intriguing all-Irish showdown.
There is another compelling Ireland-versus-England clash at super middleweight as unbeaten Dubliner Emmet Brennan takes on highly rated Matchroom prospect Taylor Bevan, while unbeaten Coleraine super bantamweight Matthew Boreland faces Liverpool’s Joe McGrail for the WBA Continental Gold title.
Domestic bragging rights will also be on the line when Dublin middleweight Paul Ryan takes on Belfast’s Paddy Gallagher in another all-Irish contest that adds further depth to the card.
The Irish interest is completed by two of the country’s emerging prospects, with unbeaten Dublin heavyweight Adam Olaniyan and fellow Dubliner Bobbi Flood both handed the opportunity to perform in front of what is expected to be the biggest crowd ever to attend a boxing event in Ireland.
Former UFC star Molly McCann, Katie Taylor’s cousin, also features on the bill as she continues her professional boxing career against Sylwia Doligala, rounding off one of the strongest supporting cards assembled for an Irish boxing event in recent memory.