Katie Taylor Leaves Boxing With Every Belt After Beating Flora Pili

Katie Taylor (26-1, 6 KOs) ended her career exactly where she wanted, standing in the middle of Croke Park with every major light welterweight belt after beating Flora Pili (12-1, 2 KOs) by unanimous decision. The scores were 100-90, 100-90, and 98-91 after 10 two-minute rounds.

A large crowd came to salute Taylor, but she still had a fight to win before the celebration could begin. Pili was younger, strong, and willing to press forward, yet none of that mattered once Taylor established the jab and forced her to fight at the champion’s speed.

There were no knockdowns and very little suspense on the scorecards. Pili had a couple of decent rounds, but Taylor was too quick, too experienced, and far too accurate for the French challenger.

From the opening bell, Taylor claimed the center of the ring and stalked Pili behind the jab. She followed with right hooks and quick combinations, often landing three or four punches before slipping away from the reply.

The French challenger looked unsure of when to attack. She waited for Taylor to stop punching, but by then the 40-year-old had already changed position and was preparing to come again.

In the third, Pili tried to push forward, but following Taylor around the ring was not the same as trapping her. Taylor kept turning her, touching her with the jab, and forcing another restart.

More pressure came from Pili in the fourth as she tried to drive Taylor to the ropes and keep her there. Taylor answered with counters and short combinations before tying her up whenever the challenger reached close range.

A stiff jab from Pili in the sixth snapped Taylor’s head back and reminded the crowd that the challenger had not come merely to participate. Taylor immediately answered through the middle and landed a counter right hand.

The seventh brought Pili’s best moment when a combination briefly forced Taylor backward. She also found more success crowding the champion and making the exchanges rougher.

Even when the action became untidy, Taylor remained the more accurate fighter. She landed the first clean punch in most exchanges and rarely allowed Pili to finish a combination.

Credit belongs to Pili for staying aggressive and taking Taylor’s punches without folding. Durability alone was never going to win this fight, though, and she lacked the timing needed to make Taylor pay for standing her ground.

Back at long range in the ninth, Taylor picked off Pili with the jab, slipped in the right hand, and mixed punches to the body and head while the challenger continued following her.

There was no backing away from Pili in the final round, but Taylor finished with the quicker hands and cleaner work. The ovation began before the result was announced because everyone inside the stadium already knew who had won.

This was not another exhausting battle like Taylor’s fights with Amanda Serrano or Chantelle Cameron. She did not need drama to prove anything. She boxed with discipline, controlled the distance, and avoided giving Pili the kind of stationary fight that offered the challenger a chance.

The victory added the vacant WBC belt to Taylor’s WBA, IBF, WBO, and Ring titles. It also made her a three-time undisputed champion before she walked away from boxing.

Most fighters stay too long and leave only after the sport makes the decision for them. Taylor left with a 26-1 record, every major belt at 140 pounds, and more than 80,000 people standing to watch her do it.

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