Irish boxer Katie Taylor has said that it’s a dream to be fighting on the same bill as Mike Tyson as she prepares for a rematch with Amanda Serrano on the same night as Tyson’s fight with internet celebrity with Serrano’s promoter Jake Paul, in Arlington, Texas on July 20.
Two years on from a history-making first bout at MSG in New York, the Bray-born boxer will clash again with Serrano at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in what is being billed as a co-main event. The fight will be broadcast free to subscribers on streaming platform Netflix in another new departure for Taylor's career.
While Taylor is used to being the feature attraction when she puts on the gloves, she is happy to share top billing with Tyson, despite him being 57 and without a professional fight in nearly two decades. Taylor said: ‘‘I got a phone call from my manager a few weeks ago saying that I am going on the same card as Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. This is a dream for me. The last time Amanda and I fought it was an incredible fight. We get to do it again, it’s amazing for the sport, live on Netflix, thank you to Netflix, this is iconic. Last year my family asked is there anything I want to do before I retire? One of the things I said was, I would love to meet Mike Tyson. He is just a legend and an icon of the sport. I grew up and fell in love with the sport in the nineties, and Mike Tyson was the biggest name in boxing during that time. He was ferocious, just super-exciting to watch.’’
LONG LEASE FOR
SHELBOURNE FC
Shelbourne have secured a 250-year lease for Tolka Park after Dublin City Council voted in favor of the move last week. The club, who have led the League of Ireland Premier Division for most of this season, has a long association with the ground in its 129-year history; however, there have been doubts surrounding the stadium’s future. In 2016, the Council purchased Tolka Park in addition to Bohemians’ ground Dalymount Park. There was a subsequent proposal to demolish Tolka Park in favor of housing and to put both clubs in a redeveloped Dalymount Park. However, Shelbourne supporters didn’t really want to ground share with Bohs and the Phibsboro club are now proceeding on their own at a re-developed Dalymount Park, which might be completed by 2027.
Meanwhile efforts were made to protect the ground located on Richmond Road, Drumcondra on the banks of the Tolka River. In 2022, the club submitted a proposal to purchase Tolka Park from the City Council to develop a new, multi-sport stadium on the site. In response, the DCC recommended redeveloping the ground to provide enhanced sporting, recreational and community amenities and to celebrate the rich sporting history. Shelbourne are now managed by former Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff. As a player Duff won 100 caps, making him the most capped player to manage any League of Ireland club.
Shelbourne fans wave “Saved Tolka Park” signs ahead of last Friday night’s league game against Waterford. [Inpho/Tom Maher]
DUBS VS. ROSSIES
GOES TO GAAGO
GAAGO is a great service for GAA fans overseas, but some people in Ireland are not keen to pay for the service. In recent weeks most complaints about GAAGO have come from Munster hurling fans, but this weekend it could be Dublin supporters who are complaining as their game against Roscommon in the first round of the Sam Maguire Round Robin series on Saturday is on the GAAGO channel.
There is also the added attraction for supporters of two big games live on television from London on Saturday afternoon. The European Rugby Cup final at mentioned above kicks-off at 2.45 p.m and the FA Cup has reverted to its traditional 3 p.m. start, so I reckon there will be a lot of empty seats at Croke Park for the 5 p.m. throw-in between Dublin and the Rossies.
Donegal’s game against Tyrone in McCumhaill Park, Ballybofey is also on GAAGO. Meanwhile Louth supporters will have to cross the Monaghan border to play in what Patrick Kavanagh famously called the “stony grey soil” in Inniskeen for their game against Meath on Saturday evening as their own ground in Drogheda is not up to the required standard for GAA games in 2024. In the past Louth used to play most of their Leinster championship games in Navan, but this is their home game; the Wee County are away to Monaghan in the second game in their group and their game against Kerry will be played at a neutral venue.
HENDERSON WILL
MISS S.A. TOUR
Irish second-row Iain Henderson has been ruled out of action for three months and will miss Ireland's summer tour of South Africa. The Ulster captain has undergone toe surgery and is expected to be sidelined until the middle of August. Ireland will play two Tests against the world champions in July. The opening game is in Pretoria on July 6 , while a week later Durban will be the venue for the second Test. It will be Ireland’s first tour to South Africa since 2016.
CARR QUITS PRO
TENNIS AT AGE 24
Irish tennis professional Simon Carr confirmed last week that he was quitting the professional circuit at the age of 24. The Mullingar-born player, who is the son of former Dublin footballer Tommy Carr, has played Davis Cup tennis for his country. he said the decision was long in the making and one that he ruminated over amid injury setbacks before ultimately making the hard call.
Carr said: ‘‘It was a long, drawn out process. To pinpoint one exact moment is difficult. There are a lot of times where you question yourself and those became, I suppose, more regular throughout the last couple of years. I had quite a few struggles with my body. I had a lower back fracture, a few torn hamstrings, hip problems, impingements in both hips, so I didn't really have much luck body-wise and those sorts of things take their toll over time.’’
Carr added that the solitary nature of the sport coupled with the uncompromising travel schedule to far flung locales on the ATP Challenger Tours and ITF World Tennis Tour proved exacerbating factors over those last 24-30 months.
‘‘You spend a lot of time alone really. The lifestyle is very difficult and it became quite unsustainable for me after a certain period of time,’’ he said.
BEST PREDICTION
A bad day for Manchester United as they were squeezed out of the Conference League place on goal difference by Newcastle United. However, should United beat City to win the FA Cup tomorrow they will be guaranteed a Europa League place next season.
United’s overall performance proved the most disappointing of the ’23-24 season. Twenty-seven pundits were asked by the BBC at the start of the season to predict their top four, and 20 put United in 2nd, 3rd or 4th, when in fact they finished eighth. Overwhelmingly the pundits predicted a Man. City-Arsenal 1-2, but only one, Stephen Warnock, named the top four in the correct order, and he had spells as a player at both the 3rd-place Liverpool and 4th-placed Aston Villa.
KLOPP’S LAST EXIT
It was an emotional day for Jurgen Klopp in his 491st game in charge of Liverpool ended with a 2-0 win. The affable German become the first Liverpool manager to win his last game in charge of the Reds since Matt McQueen in February 1928. Meanwhile Feyenoord manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday that his expected move to Liverpool to replace Klopp had been rubber-stamped and he’ll be manager at Anfield next season. The 45-year-old Dutch coach emerged as a leading candidate to take over from Klopp last month and confirmed the switch in his final press conference in charge of the Dutch club.’ It has been reported that Liverpool had to pay considerably more than €10m to get Slot out of his Feyenoord contract.
‘HARD TO WALK AWAY,’
SAYS CAPTAIN COLEMAN
Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman is mulling over the offer of a new contract from Everton, with his current deal to expire next month. The 35-year-old, who signed a 12-month extension last summer, admits it will be hard to walk away from the club he joined in 2009 and currently captains. Coleman said: ‘‘The club means everything to me, I suppose I live and breathe it like everyone else. It's been a hell of a ride, the last two or three years and it’s not a case that you just turn up for work, go home and forget about it. You live and breathe it, and it’s been tough. But I absolutely love this football club, I love this stadium. I have got another year here at Goodison, so I’m happy to have been offered something and I’ll have a think about it. This football club means everything to me and, as I said before when I signed my last contract, it is hard to walk away from something you love."
REPUBLIC PLAYERS
LOG 15K MINS IN EPL
Prior to the final series of games last Sunday Irish players had played their most minutes in the EPL since the 2020-21 season, 15,248 compared to last season’s record low of 9,326. The Irish players who featured most in the EPL during the season just ended were Evan Ferguson, Mark Travers, Nathan Collins, Seamus Coleman, Dara O’Shea, Josh Cullen, Matt Doherty, Chiedoze Ogbene and Andrew Omobamidele. Cullen and O’Shea have been relegated with Burnley as has Ogbene with Luton Town.
There are currently no Irish players with the two promoted clubs Leicester City and Ipswich Town, but if Southampton win the play-off against Leeds next Sunday it would mean Gavin Bazunu, Will Smallbone and Ryan Manning will see EPL action next season. Also Irish international Sammie Szmodics, the top scorer with 27 goals in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers, could possibly secure a move to an EPL club during the summer.
Irish midfielder Smallbone got a spectacular goal for Southampton that started them on their 3-1win over West Bromwich Albion in their semi-final second leg in the playoffs. Leeds beat Norwich City 3-0 last week in their semi-final.
KENNY GETS PATS JOB
Former Irish manager Stephen Kenny was last week appointed manager of St Patrick’s Athletic, the Dublin club where he began his managerial career as their under 21 manager in 1997.
At Inchicore, the 52-year-old replaces Jonathan Daly, who was sacked after a run of poor results. Kenny has agreed a five and a half year contract with Saints owner Garret Kelleher. He has yet to appoint an assistant manager and there is speculation that it could be Graham Gartland who quit as caretaker manager of Dundalk last week. Kenny, whose 40-game reign as Irish manager ended against New Zealand at the Aviva last November, said: ‘‘I have only been out of work for a couple months in the past 25 years. I need to work, that’s just the way I am built.’’
