If you are looking for an interesting book to read as the dark nights start to draw in this autumn, you might want to consider Damian Lawlor’s work detailing what happens after a sports career has come to an end. Even if you do not consider yourself sporty, What Happens When the World Stops Watching is a riveting read. Lawlor is one of Ireland’s best sports journalists, and his book, which was released last year, details the poignant stories of 14 Irish stars, looking at how they dealt with the curtain call of their careers.
Lawlor’s book deals with Olympians like Sonia O’Sullivan, and it’s an interesting area to look at, particularly through the lens of women in sport. O’Sullivan was a national hero after grabbing a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, but her celebrity was more or less confined to Ireland. You would gather that the Cork native could walk down a street in London or New York City without being recognised.
Katie Taylor has conquered the world
But we wonder if Ireland’s 2016 gold medal-winning boxer, Katie Taylor, has any trouble being recognised? Taylor is a bona fide superstar these days. In early September, Taylor fought Jenifer Han in front of 20,000 fans in Leeds. It was, of course, yet another victory for Taylor, who is undefeated in her professional career.
Taylor should need little introduction to an Irish audience. She is ranked the best pound for pound female fighter on the planet. More so than any female boxer, her fights compete with men’s bouts in terms of being an attraction for a global audience. Pre-fight, there is always a lot of interest in betting on Taylor, arguably more so than any female boxer on the planet. Sites for online betting like William Hill in Ireland always have multiple markets for Taylor’s fights, and punters seem to love discussing tips for the lightweight champion on boxing forums.
She is a phenomenon. As she said herself after dismantling Han, “I want the megafights and to be involved in the biggest fights out there. I’m confident I will end my career as unbeaten and undisputed world champion.”
Harrington is latest gold medal winner
There is a lot of speculation over how much money Taylor could make in her career, particularly if she continues on this trajectory. But as Ireland’s latest boxing star says, “It’s not always about money.”. Kellie Harrington, who won gold at Tokyo last month, is taking a different career trajectory to Taylor. Harrington confirmed earlier this month that she was going to stay in the amateur ranks and defend her gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
While it is not unusual for Olympic champions to stay amateur after the Games, Harrington should be credited with sticking to what she believes in. There would have been plenty of incentive for her to switch, including a hefty financial incentive.
Both Harrington and Taylor are in the lightweight division, so, as you might expect, there is a lot of speculation that the pair might clash one day. Just google the fighters’ names or have a look at YouTube, and you will see countless articles and videos explaining why this makes sense. Could you imagine a super fight between two of Ireland’s leading boxers? It’s no exaggeration to say that it could fill Croke Park. Alas, Taylor has suggested that it is unlikely to happen, even if Harrington should turn professional.
Boxing has accounted for over half of Ireland’s Olympic medals throughout history. We really excel at it and have punched above our weight (excuse the pun) for a relatively small nation. But it’s worth remembering that women’s boxing was only added in 2012. So, in the space of a decade, Ireland has produced two gold medal winners. Taylor and Harrington have gone in separate directions for now, but each has added something special to Ireland’ sporting heritage.
If Harrington decides to turn pro after the Paris Olympics, then maybe we will get to see that super fight between the pair. But for the moment, we should just enjoy the fact that two Irish women – one amateur and one professional – are at the very top of the world in their sport. Trailblazers for women in boxing, and sport in general.
