Katie Taylor will fight Chantelle Cameron in the third leg of their trilogy on May 25th, a year almost to the day from the first bout and the first defeat for Taylor.
That fight took place at the 3 Arena, as did the rematch in November when Taylor gained revenge, and as will this third fight.
The debate about Croke Park as a potential venue flared bright a year and a bit ago, and again after the second bout but this time around, despite talk of Grant Thornton business cases it barely resembled a candle rather than a firestorm.
The business case likely asked the most pertinent questions of whether 80,000 fans would attend on a Saturday night, what they would pay, and perhaps, whether they had any concerns over the involvement of Conor McGregor.
Perhaps the answers were maybe, not enough and a bit. None of them would have provided the certainty that Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom Team would have needed to invest in the venue.
It would have delivered the crowning glory of Taylor’s storied career as the heroine and the darling of Irish sport but maybe the moment had passed.
In 2022 Taylor Vs Serrano at Madison Square Garden was hailed as one of the greatest fights of all time, regardless of gender.
A rematch then could have had the momentum but an injury ruled Serrano out of the equation and Cameron, with the best will in the world, was at a different weight and lacked the magic of a repeat.
Momentum can be cruel in its fading and while Taylor will always be looked upon as our greatest athlete or at least among them, it feels as though that moment in the afterglow of Serrano, in that most storied of boxing venues, was the second peak, after London in 2012 when I had the privilege to be there in the crowd.
How many of the greats ever get to do that, to climb higher a second time?
More pertinently, how many ever get to do it a third time?
Let us enjoy the celebration and the doubtless great third fight that will be staged on May 25th.
Sadly though let us also probably park for good the idea of a contest at Croke Park.
The reality may be that while Coldplay and ACDC can fill it in an hour, the value of a single fight that could be over in a minute offers less of a guarantee that people will pay hard cash for in sufficient numbers.
Harsh but sometimes letting go can be the best.
Eddie Hearn will be the star event of the 2024 One-Zero event taking place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin next month. Watch out later this week for more announcements on this and the option of a special Sport for Members discount on tickets.
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