Belfast referee David Irving to take charge of Katie Taylor's final professional fight

On Saturday night, in front of roughly 80,000 fans at Croke Park in Dublin, Katie Taylor will contest the 27th and final bout of her professional career against French boxer Flora Pili. The 40-year-old Irish fighter is aiming to become a three-time undisputed champion at light-welterweight, defending her WBO, WBA and IBF titles while also contesting the vacant WBC belt. Pili arrives unbeaten in 12 fights, while Taylor has lost only once in 25 professional bouts, a defeat to Chantelle Cameron that she later avenged.

The contest will be refereed by David Irving from Belfast, who will be the third man in the ring for what he describes as one of the standout assignments of a refereeing career spanning more than 30 years. Irving, a former boxer with Holy Trinity in west Belfast, has worked internationally since 2014, but this marks his first time overseeing such a major fight on home soil in Ireland.

A long-held ambition fulfilled

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Irving said he still finds it hard to believe he will referee the biggest fight Ireland has ever seen. He explained that he had long hoped to referee a WBC world title fight at home before retiring, and that this dream has now come true. He praised Taylor as an outstanding ambassador for boxing, noting her broad popularity across both parts of Ireland.

Preparing for the occasion

Irving described his usual preparation routine for a world title fight, which includes organising his uniform, pens, scorecard, towel and water, along with staying properly hydrated given the fight could go the full ten rounds. He also keeps up regular training and watches his diet to remain sharp and ready to react to anything unexpected during the bout.