'She should get the freedom of Ireland for what she has done'

​The farewell fight of Katie Taylor in Croke Park on Saturday night had a strong Donegal connection, with Paddy Doherty from Ballyshannon among the invited guests.

Doherty boxed at the venue when Muhammad Ali fought there 54 years ago in 1972.

And for the occasion, Doherty made a poignant gesture to remember his great friend and boxing companion from Donegal, Peter O'Donnell, who passed away last year and was ever-present at every boxing occasion.

"I had Peter's tie on for the fight on Saturday night," said an emotional Paddy Doherty, referring to Peter O'Donnell, who would have loved to have been there.

"He would have been there, and Jackie Gallagher too. He loved his boxing. Me and him were at a fight in Glasgow four months before he died. It was emotional to be wearing his tie on the night."

Doherty was a five-time Irish champion at different weights and age groups, starting in 1964 at Boys 9st - winning junior in 1968 and senior in 1969.

He holds three Ulster senior titles and two All-Ireland senior titles. He won a bronze medal at the 1970 British Commonwealth and boxed at the European Senior Championships.

Doherty had 20 outings in the Northern Ireland singlet while he boxed in 16 internationals for Ireland and also boxed in Nigeria, Kenya, Johannesburg, Spain, and Germany.

He was proud and happy to be back in Croke Park and also proud to support Katie Taylor in her final fight on Saturday night.

The Bray boxer was a convincing winner against her French opponent Flora Pili after the 10-round event.

"It was a good night. Fair play to her. She is a credit to Ireland and herself," said Donegal.

His presence, along with his family who travelled from different parts of the world to be there, was pre-arranged as the Ballyshannon man holds a special place in Croke Park boxing history.

He was on the undercard when Muhammad Ali fought Al Blue Lewis at the GAA venue on 19 July 1972, although the scheduling meant the Donegal man’s fight took place after the main event. On that summer evening, Doherty, having watched the Ali fight in his robe, stopped his opponent Bobby Ruff from Swansea in the second round.

In Croke Park on Saturday night, Doherty was a popular figure, with people getting photographs taken with the last man to box in Croke Park, among them Armagh GAA manager Kieran McGeeney.

"He came over to me and shook my hand and got a photo," says Doherty.

Of course the invitation to be there on Saturday night came from Katie Taylor herself and her management. That came about after Katie had visited the Doherty family home earlier in the year on a whirlwind promotional tour of the country.

"She was here for half an hour. She talked to me about the fight in 1972 and that this fight would be her last fight.

"I said to her, make sure you retire. Don't be making any comebacks and end up punch-drunk. She thanked me for the advice and her manager did too. She is 40 years of age now.

"She has made up her mind and by her chat I think she is thinking of moving back to Ireland. She has a place in America but if she comes back she would be back with the Irish team coaching.

"She would be great for Irish boxing and I think ’’. She came from a Council estate in Bray and fair play to her."

It was at that visit earlier in the year that Katie invited the Doherty family to be in Croke Park for the fight.

"Katie invited the whole family up. There were 10 of us at the fight. My daughters came home from New Zealand and San Francisco.

"It was a fantastic night. In '72 there was no presentation. When Ali fought, even the ground wasn't covered. It was just grass with seats on it. There has been a big change in Croke Park since 1972," says Paddy.

There were 18,000 at the 1972 event with 83,000 there on Saturday night and the other major difference was the event being staged at night with the lights extravaganza whilst in 1972 it had to be in daylight.

"It was very well organised,” Doherty added. “The atmosphere was great.”