More than 80,000 fans packed Croke Park on Saturday night for Katie Taylor’s farewell boxing match against Flora Pili. The blockbuster event drew a massive crowd of sports stars and celebrities to GAA headquarters in Dublin, while an unexpected viral internet personality was spotted sitting ringside.
Star-Studded Ringside and Musical Pre-Show at Croke Park
The atmosphere at Croke Park on September 5, 2026, matched the magnitude of the occasion as Katie Taylor prepared for her swansong. The historic venue hosted a packed crowd for the Once Upon A Time fight night and the undisputed super lightweight championship fight between Taylor and Flora Pili. Before the main event, the audience was treated to musical performances by Westlife, who delivered rousing renditions of ‘World of Our Own’ and ‘Raise Me Up’.
A host of notable figures from Irish sport and international boxing filled the prime seating areas. Golfer Shane Lowry was spotted ringside ahead of one of the biggest events in his calendar.
It worked out well with the Irish Open being next week,
Lowry said, paying tribute to Taylor. “It’s probably going to be…if not the biggest, one of the greatest nights in Irish sport. I wanted to be here. I think Katie is a true inspiration for everyone in Ireland. Not just for sport, but for Irish people in general in how she’s carried herself over the years. This is the send-off that she deserves. Let’s hope she can get a win.”
Other sporting greats in attendance included fresh off the back of winning heptathlon gold at the European Athletics Championships, Kate O’Connor, who came to cheer on another Irish sporting great. UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett was also spotted, alongside Michael Flatley, who spoke with Marty Morrissey on the pitch, declaring, This is the greatest night in Irish sports history.
Ian Garry and Henry Pollock, two of Matchroom’s talent, were in the house to celebrate Katie Taylor.
Boxing Royalty Reunites in Dublin
The gathering served as a reunion for several generations of boxing champions and figures. Former 1992 Olympic champion Michael Carruth and the former Boxing Ireland chief Billy Walsh conducted a joint interview with Marty Morrissey, discussing what makes Katie Taylor so special.
In another notable moment, former 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne McCullough and former world champion Prince Naseem Hamed crossed paths at the venue. A great photo captured Wayne McCullough and ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed together in Croke Park, noting that Wayne gave Naz one hell of a fight back in 1998 and the respect is clearly still there between the two champions. Additional boxing names ringside included Matthew Macklin, Andy Lee (trainer of Paddy Donovan before the welterweight bout between Paddy Donovan and Tyrone McKenna), and boxers and brothers Aaron and Stevie McKenna.
Viral Internet Sensation Spotted Ringside
Amid the constellation of sports stars and musicians, viewers watching the broadcast noticed a very different kind of celebrity sitting near the action. The man known online as the ‘Ibiza Final Boss’ was spotted sitting just two seats down from Barry and Eddie Hearn. Eagle-eyed viewers quickly took to X after spotting him enjoying a prime view, with one person writing: ‘Katie Taylor’s final fight and the Ibiza final boss is sat 2 seats down from Barry and Eddie Hearn?!? Someone make it make sense.’ Another joked: ‘Ibiza Final Boss managed to get in on the act too,’ while a third viewer asked: ‘Is that the Ibiza Final Boss sitting in the front row of the Katie Taylor fight’.
The figure became one of the most recognisable faces of summer 2025 after footage of him partying on the island went viral online. His distinctive look—complete with a bob haircut, thick gold chain, sunglasses, black vest, and Louis Vuitton crossbody bag—quickly turned him into a social media sensation. A video featuring him was shared by Zero Six West Ibiza as people tried to identify the mystery man, with the clip eventually racking up more than 16 million views and prompting a flood of memes and comments before he was eventually identified. The unusual sighting also sparked discussion about the celebrity turnout around the ring, with one viewer writing: ‘Serious lack of ‘celebrity’ ringside at #CrokePark. Paddy Pimblett the only one I recognise,’ adding that they hoped it was a sign the prime seats had gone to Taylor’s family and friends.
Controversial Finishes on the Undercard
While the celebrity turnout generated buzz online, the undercard delivered a series of dramatic and confusing moments for the sellout crowd. There was an extraordinary conclusion to the co-main event as Dublin’s Thomas Carty fell through the ropes in the first round of his heavyweight bout against Dave Allen. Carty toppled out of the ring after one minute and 22 seconds in the first round. On the advice of the ringside doctor, it was declared a no-contest. Boos rang out around the ground as a replay showed Allen hitting Carty on the back of the head. The bout had just started to take off when the remarkable incident occurred, and Allen had been standing close to the ropes and moved to the side while Carty was slow back to his feet and required oxygen before he made for the dressing room.
It was the second confusing conclusion to a fight on the card. Paddy Gallagher’s victory over Paul Ryan was overturned in the opener. Almost an hour after the Belfast boxer had his hand raised, it was announced the result would be reversed and Ryan was announced as the winner. At the time, his team were visibly furious with the result, and it is believed a clerical error on the scorecard decision led to the confusion. A sellout crowd soon moved on from the anticlimactic affair as they looked ahead to watching Taylor attempt to become a three-time undisputed world champion in the main event against Flora Pili.
