Katie Taylor finally met Mike Tyson

Katie Taylor, found herself next to her childhood idol, Mike Tyson, at a press conference in New York City’s Apollo Theatre. The event was promoting their upcoming July 20 card at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, headlined by Tyson versus Jake Paul, with Taylor facing Amanda Serrano in a co-main event rematch.

Taylor, now arguably the top female boxer worldwide, shared how surreal it felt to be alongside Tyson.

“He’s just a legend and an icon of the sport,” she remarked, recalling her love for boxing sparked during Tyson’s prime in the 90s.

Taylor (23-1-0) has made significant strides in elevating women’s boxing, highlighted by a historic sell-out at Madison Square Garden against Serrano (46-2-1), which was lauded as both Fight and Event of the Year by major sports outlets. Even in her late thirties, Taylor continues to excel, recently avenging her sole career loss with a victory over Chantelle Cameron.

Though Tyson admitted to not having seen Taylor’s first bout with Serrano, he was visibly moved by her admiration. The moment they officially met, Tyson offered a friendly gesture, which Taylor, perhaps overwhelmed, responded to with a shy grasp.

As Taylor prepares for her rematch with Serrano, which promises to be as thrilling as their first encounter, she’s content simply being part of an event that once seemed like an unreachable dream. “This is a dream to me,” Taylor said, still in awe of sharing the stage with Tyson.