Flora Pili warns Katie Taylor: "I have nothing to lose and everything to win"

Katie Taylor vs Flora Pili press conference quotes

A historic fight week in Dublin is officially underway as Katie Taylor received an incredible, hero's reception at today's final Main Event Press Conference before her swansong this Saturday – live worldwide on DAZN and non-exclusively in Ireland on RTÉ.

The legendary Irish fighter bids to become a three-time Undisputed Champion when she faces France's undefeated IBO champ Flora Pili in front of 80,000 at Dublin's historic Croke Park with the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine Super Lightweight Titles on the line.

And Taylor was welcomed to a rapturous homecoming this afternoon in front of a sold-out crowd at The Helix. 

Thanking her Irish fans,  an emotional Taylor insisted she will not take Pili lightly in her quest to make her country proud for one final time.

Taylor said: "Like I said before, I am so blown away by all this amazing support. I am so proud to be Irish. I'm so proud to represent this amazing country every single time I step inside the ring.

"I'm still pinching myself. This is a dream. We can be very proud as a nation because I'm not sure there is any other nation in the world where 80,000 people would turn up for a female athlete. I just want to say to you all, from the bottom of my heart, that I am so grateful. Thank you."

Pili, who has never tasted defeated in her professional career, declared she is not here in Dublin to make up the numbers and is confident of causing a major upset.

Pili said: "Well, what can I say. I am the underdog for the fight but I have nothing to lose and everything to win. For that reason, there is less pressure on me and, for that reason, I will be giving it 200 per cent."

On what is a bumper Fight Week, Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn hosted today's proceedings before he heads to Newark, New Jersey where Heavyweights 
Andy Ruiz Jr and Damian Knyba collide at the Prudential Center this Friday, September 4, live on DAZN and TNT Sports.

And Hearn paid homage to Taylor on what he insists will be the biggest female sporting spectacle of all-time in the Emerald Isle.

Hearn said: "Saturday will be, as far as I’m concerned, the biggest moment in Katie Taylor’s career, the biggest night in the history of Irish sport, the biggest female sporting event of all-time and, for me personally without question, the biggest and greatest night of my career. I’ve never looked forward to a night like this in my whole life.

"I think what you are about to witness will be one of the most memorable occasions that everybody who has bought a ticket, everybody inside Croke Park and everybody tuned in around the world on DAZN, and in Ireland on RTÉ, will never, ever forget.

"And that is what great sport is all about: those memorable moments that leave you on the edge of your seat and make your eyes well up."

As a monumental night at Croke Park awaits, delivered by Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in association with Aiken Promotions and Brian Peters, Fight Week continues tomorrow when Taylor and Pili lead the stacked card of fighters taking part in an Open Workout, taking place at The Helix at 6pm.

Then, on Thursday, September 3, the undercard – including Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty, Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna, Taylor Bevan vs Emmet Brennan, Molly McCann vs Sylwia Doligala, Joe McGrail vs Matthew Boreland, Adam Olaniyan vs Matej Hudak, Bobbi Flood vs Jack Swallow and Paul Ryan vs Paddy Gallagher – take to the stage for the Undercard Press Conference at The Helix, The Theatre, which starts at 1pm – open to media only.

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:

"This is genuinely the only place where I am clapped! Thank you very much, Ireland. For anyone who watched our promo earlier in the week, if there was a dry eye watching it I’d be astonished. It is down to, of course, Katie Taylor.

"But today I also want to talk about the challenge that represents itself on Saturday night – because this is all lovely; the country is going to have a night they will never forget. But we have got to win. There are six belts up for grabs here and Katie only has four of them. And there are two more to win on Saturday night. This is her opportunity to become Undisputed Champion once more.

"The undercard is incredible. The acts that you will be witnessing will be incredible too. It is going to blow your mind. But, on Saturday night, it is a culmination of all the work that has taken place in training camps and throughout Katie’s whole career to try and make history. As I said, she can become Undisputed again.

"There are so many thank you’s on a night like this. Of course, Matchroom and our incredible team with the likes of Frank Smith, Jon Hill and everybody involved in making this a night that you will never forget. Peter Aiken has been an absolute blockbuster member and addition to the team. Just for anybody out there, don’t ever let anyone ever dampen your spirit or your belief about what is possible. I was a bit angry with myself because I started to think that maybe we can’t do this. Maybe it won’t work. Maybe we won’t sell 80,000 tickets. I thought we’d have to give up. I hate even saying it. It was Katie’s attitude, which has always ben unfathomable and undeniable, but it was also Peter’s attitude and his confidence to say that I know my people, I know this country, and I promise you that they will come out and support Katie Taylor.

"Without Peter putting his… genitals on the line, as well as a lot of us, there are so many people who are going to enjoy Saturday night. I want to thank our partners DAZN. People tried to dampen our fire and now DAZN proudly sits as the Global Home of Boxing. Basically every promotional company in the world is on the platform and if you don’t have DAZN, then you don’t even know boxing. This is just the most wonderful product and most wonderful service. And what I like most about DAZN is in our partnership with them is that they understand our fighters.

"In one of the biggest moments in Katie's career, was the Amanda Serrano II fight on Netflix, and then the third fight. DAZN saw that and they allowed that, they welcomed it and that was a huge part of her career. And what they have done on Saturday night to allow, and rightfully so, RTÉ, to broadcast this on terrestrial TV across Ireland and the entire nation is once again groundbreaking for the sport of boxing. I think this could open unbelievable doors for the sport of boxing in this country. So again thank you to DAZN, RTÉ and all our other partners that are sponsoring the event.

"Before I go to Katie, the team to my left deserve a lot of credit too. Christian Cherchi, who has been a partner of ours for years and years. My father goes back in partnerships over the years with his father and they have run Italian boxing. He comes to win. These are dangerous people.

"To Pietro and Flora Pili, this is a high quality team. They understand what this is but they have absolutely no interest in the fairytale story of Katie Taylor. They are coming for all of these belts and change her life on Saturday. We respect you and your entire team. She is IBO World Champion and European Champion. Undefeated. An outstanding amateur. A big, strong 140lb fighter. This is a real, real fight on Saturday. So, good luck to Team Pili. And I say that with full respect because nothing like this will ever happen again. I say the same thing to Katie.

"To Katie, what can I say? The build-up to this event has been incredible. I’ve thanked everybody up here. But the people who we really need to thank are the people of Ireland and the people who have made this possible. The people who have supported Katie Taylor throughout her entire career and the people who have made Saturday night possible by coming out and supporting. As much as this is Katie Taylor’s night, this is your night as well. Your night as a country where you can celebrate Ireland and, what I think by now, all acknowledge as the greatest Irish sportsperson of all-time in Katie Taylor."

Katie Taylor:

“I’m still pinching myself that this is actually happening to be honest. I’m just a few days away from making my last ringwalk in Croke Park. This is an absolute dream in front of 80,000 people. It’s going to be an amazing night for Irish sport, Irish boxing and women’s sport in general. I think we can be very proud as a nation as well. I’m not sure if there’s any other country in the world where 80,000 people turn up for a female athlete. I’m so so grateful for the support. I’m blown away by it to be quite honest. I want to put on a performance worthy of everyone’s support over the years. This country has travelled around the world to watch me fight. They’ve travelled to London, to Manchester, Leeds, Brooklyn, Boston, Dallas, New York and they’ll be with me on Saturday night as well. I just want to say to you all thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. I’m so grateful. Thank you.

“I try not to reflect too much on it because I have a job to do. It’s too dangerous of a sport to have your body in the ring and in your heart you’re thinking of retirement. I have got a job to do and I’m very much focused on the job. I have allowed myself to think about it a small bit over the past few months. Just thinking about the last 30 years in the ring. All the amazing people I’ve met. All of the amazing spars that I’ve had along the way. Having a chance to meet icons of the sport. Having a chance to headline these amazing arenas. Now I get to end my dream career in my dream venue in Croke Park. This really is beyond my wildest dreams. But the most important part of Saturday night is that I get my hand raised. I’ve been in training camp as per usual. It’s business as per usual for me. I have a real live opponent in front of me. It’s not going to be a walk in the park. She’s here to win as well. She’s a young undefeated fighter and I’m very aware of that as well. I’ve locked myself away over these last few months in preparation for this fight. It’s going to be a tough fight for sure but that’s where I’m at my best.”

Ross Enamait, Katie Taylor Trainer:

"It's amazing that we're even here, but at the same time none of it really matters if we go out and lose so we've still got a job to do. It's an amazing night, an amazing event, but I try not to think about it too much because we've got to go out there and win the fight first otherwise it was all for nothing. We've got to keep our head down.

"She's a big 140 pounder, unbeaten and she doesn't care about the crowd or what this means for Katie or to Ireland. She's here to win and spoil the show. We've got to keep our head down and do the job and we can enjoy it afterwards."

Flora Pili:

“I’m very proud to be here as well. Thank you and welcome to everybody. Thank you for the welcome. I just want to thank my staff who have stood by me during the 3-month preparation for this big fight. I think we’re all aware of the task ahead of us. We’ve got the whole of France behind us. Not just the few people who will be in this enormous crowd, but everybody back home and on DAZN watching around the world. We are going to be very proud to take on the worthy opponent of Katie.

“Well like you say, I have nothing to lose and everything to win. I am the underdog for the fight. For that reason there’s less pressure on me, and for that reason I’m going to be giving 200% from round one right to the end. I’m going to give everything I can and hopefully take home all of these wonderful belts.”

Pietro Pili, Flora Pili Trainer:

"We're certainly very very proud to be here and full of emotion as you mentioned Eddie. But I think the emotion is a very positive one. It's that which has driven us forward through the preparation, through the training camp. We know the magnitude of the event for the people of Ireland and we're delighted and honoured to provide a worthy opponent for Saturday." 

Brian Peters, Katie Taylor Manager:

“It’s been some journey, Eddie. I have to thank the global home of boxing DAZN. They’ve been wonderful to work with. RTE too, it’s great to get it on RTE. Fortunately, unfortunately, the tickets all sold out in 17 minutes. Over 80,000, so that was quite magical. But then the next problem was there’s so many people that don’t get to see the show. It’s great that RTE has it so it’s going to be in the four corners of the Republic of Ireland. It’s amazing and like Peter said, we priced the tickets right. Not only is it a historical, iconic sporting cultural moment… I’m not sure what you could compare it to, I don’t think there’s been anything like it before. I think it’s just so great. It took all these guys here just to get it over the line. And of course, the lady herself. Not only is she Ireland’s greatest sports person of all time – no disrespect Roy Keane you’re a good second – but she’s one of the greatest Irish people of all time. We’re all honoured and privileged to be part of the journey.”

Christian Cherchi, Flora Pili Manager:

"Good afternoon everyone. It's unbelievable this situation, taking part in this event. No fight is won before they do it. I'm sure Katie will not underestimate Flora. For Katie win or lose, it will not change her career. She was already undisputed, she has proven and proven again.But for Flora this will change everything. This will be a real fight. People will witness a great night of boxing ."

Peter Aiken, Aiken Promotions Owner:

“I’d seen the reaction to Katie, and I’m getting a lot of credit, but the person that sold this fight was Katie Taylor. I saw that first hand going around the country. We had this bus trip, this idea that we came up with. We sold it to Brian and he came on the bus trip for five days. I saw it first hand when Katie turned up in the town and the reaction she had. Not only is she an unbelievable person, but the respect and the love she has around the country – I don’t think we’ll see it for any sports person ever again. The way she can handle herself, she makes you proud to be Irish. Not that it takes much. They were starting at 8 in the morning, doing interviews and blogs, newspaper interviews. Finished at 10pm at night and then Katie would actually train after that. Back out at 8 in the morning. She sold the tickets. Thank you. You’re amazing, and Brian as well. Brian and I have been friends a long time ago but we’ve rekindled our friendship, which means Brian rings me 20 times a day. I’ll miss it when it’s over because he’s a great guy to work with. I’ve learnt a lot as well from the Matchroom team. They’re a serious operation. I’ve enjoyed working with Eddie’s sister Katie. Jon Hill is a great guy, he’s as good as any production manager I’ve ever met in the world. Frank, I’ve enjoyed working with him, sometimes. It’s been a pleasure. It’s definitely the biggest thing I’ve ever been involved in, and the most exciting thing.”

Taylor vs Pili is sponsored by Title Event Partners Lidl Ireland, along with sponsors Paddy Power, Domino’s Ireland, Everlast, That Prize Guy, Ten Percent Club and Riyadh Season.