Taylor has never hidden her disdain for the circus of fight-week theatre, preferring the sanctuary of the gym.
But this week she has welled up under the glare of the cameras and stayed a fraction longer during face-offs to absorb the magnitude of the moment.
“Every fighter in the world wishes they were in this position,” she says.
“I’m just blown away from the support from this country. I don’t think there are many other countries where 80,000 show up for a female athlete.
“The crowd – hearing ‘ole ole ole’ one last time – feeling the atmosphere, seeing the tricolours all over the place…”
The emotion has rippled through her inner circle. Eddie Hearn choked up mid-sentence during the final news conference when it dawned on him this was the last time he would experience a Taylor fight week.
“When it’s all said and done you will look at your belts, you might look at your bank balance. But you will sit there, close your eyes and recall all those incredible moments in your life that made you cry,” he later told BBC Sport.
“I will cry on the ring walk. I will cry in the [post-fight] interview.”
Taylor is softly spoken and laser-focused, but this week has unlocked a relaxed side of her rarely seen by the public. She joked during final media commitments about flipping the table just to disrupt the monotony.
“Katie Taylor is one of the funniest people I’ve met. Unexpectedly funny. She’s so strong and determined. But people who know, she’s very jovial, she’s got great energy and I think she’s soaking all that up,” Hearn adds.
