When Katie Taylor began her boxing career, she had to pretend to be a boy to compete. Today, that experience resonates with a new generation of young female boxers who see Taylor not just as a champion, but as a symbol of progress and resilience.
"That is bad... that is not right," said 10-year-old Robyn Little, a student at Donore Boxing Club in Dublin, reacting to Taylor's admission. "Girls can box as well as boys," added nine-year-old Presley O'Rourke. "I don’t think that’s fair at all."
Taylor, who is the only female boxer in Ireland at the time of her early career, would hide her long hair and use the name 'K Taylor' to enter competitions. Her eventual reveal caused significant reaction. Three decades later, Taylor has achieved unprecedented success, holding all major world titles simultaneously and recently fighting in front of an 80,000 sellout crowd at Croke Park. Promoter Eddie Hearn noted that upon her entry into professional boxing in 2016, women's boxing was in the shadows, but Taylor has since earned more than 99 percent of male boxers.
Taylor recently stated that seeing young girls in attendance at her events means more to her than any title. "That’s the greatest part, to see so many little girls here," she said. "I’m hoping that these little girls actually fall in love with this beautiful sport and surpass anything that I’ve ever achieved."
Taylor's success has contributed to the flourishing of girls' boxing across Ireland. Laragh Brien, a 14-year-old two-time All-Ireland champion from Monkstown Boxing Club, highlighted the sport's benefits. Her mother, Ingrid Brien, said boxing provides her daughter with discipline, respect, and a significant confidence boost.
At Donore Boxing Club, 14-year-old Maisie Barrett cited both her family and Katie Taylor as inspirations. "Katie is an inspiration too. She’s so good and I just can’t believe that she’s still doing what she’s doing at her age," Barrett said, expressing pride in the champion. Her older sister, Emmy Barrett, also a boxer, emphasized the positive impact of the sport.
"I feel so excited to come down here after school; it helps me with everything," Emmy said. "Young girls could be coming down here getting fit and maybe even having a shot at national titles instead of sitting at home scrolling on their phones."
Derek Rice, who heads up Donore Boxing Club, noted that girls' participation in boxing is now normalized. "It’s brilliant. That’s down to Katie," he said. "For years, the authorities didn’t want girls in the sport. They said it’s too rough and too hard for girls. That’s all out the window now. Boxing is about discipline."
Stephen Fitzgerald, a coach at Donore, has seen seven of his children engage in boxing, including 13-year-old Nevaeh, an All-Ireland championship winner. "I just love the competitions and the memories you get here," Nevaeh said. "I want to go pro."
Sixteen-year-old Alanna Berry, a four-time Irish national title winner, shared similar sentiments. "You train so hard and then you get the rewards for it. You have to be confident to get out there and compete. My ambition is to box abroad."
The Donore club is a vital community hub, especially as the St Teresa’s Gardens housing complex undergoes regeneration. Rice, who has been involved with the club for decades, reflected on the significant increase in female participation. "I never thought 40 years ago that there would be as many girls as boys coming to it."
