BARRY KEOGHAN has narrated an emotional film celebrating Katie Taylor’s career journey ahead of her Dublin bout this weekend.
“You see back when the boxing world believed that it only belonged to boys, a girl walks into the ring,” the Dubin-born actor says in the short film Once Upon A Time which was released by promoters Matchroom Boxing this week.
“She was fighting not as Katie but as K, K from Bray,” he adds.
“Now I’d say the rest is history but, nah, it was never that simple.”
Keoghan explains: “A path only exists because someone was willing to walk first.
“Before there was a path it was Katie. With each step she tread new ground.
“First came Ireland, then Europe, then the world. Inspiring a generation as the golden girl from the Emerald Isle.
“But as the path diverged Katie took the one less travelled and what followed changed the sport forever.”
Katie Taylor will fight Flora Pili at Croke Park this weekend (Image: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland)Taylor will make history this Saturday, September 5 when she steps into the ring at Dublin’s Croke Park to fight French challenger Flora Pili.
The sold out fight, which has been organised by promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and Aiken Promotions, is for the undisputed super-lightweight world title.
“All stories begin at home,” Keoghan says in the film.
“The rare ones end there, too,” he adds. “And so, Katie returns for every fan who walked the journey beside her. For every young dreamer who dared to dream. For all Ireland.”
“So years from now, when our stories pass through generations, you can say, ‘I was there’.
“And when they ask you about Katie, you can begin with four simple words. Once upon a time.”
The fight will be shown live on RTÉ this weekend. It will be aired live on RTÉ 2 and available to stream on the RTÉ Player.
Watch Once Upon a Time here…
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