Boxing Thread

[HiMucker]

Finding this hard to rank, loads of GAA athletes to consider as well. KT Taylor is up there with the all time greats of Irish sport. She is absolutely amazing. Anyone remotely involved in boxing at any level will know how special she is, a once in a generation athlete who has transcended the sport. She has moved women's boxing, she has moved boxing to a different level.

Being top dog in a minority sport doesn't make her the best Irish athlete or even part of the conversation. Some lads on here falling over themselves to appear politically correct. McIlroy is mixing it with the best in one of the biggest sports in the world - simply no comparison with women's boxing.

Tony I agree with you re McIlroy. If I had to pick a sport to be top of the world it would be golf  Class life style. Totally agree with other posters sentiments that anyone within the top 30 maybe 50 could Win it. Really is top class. The real deal. I just think in years To come people will look back at kt and think WOW.! Like people watch womens tennis now on a par with men's (well it was as good) and appreciate the skill the craft and think thats what it's about

[From the Bunker]

[laoislad]

Pure dominance by Katie Taylor tonight. Gutierrez delighted to last 10 rounds.

What a role model.
Best Irish athlete of all time ?

Without a doubt.

[GiveItToTheShooters]

Pure dominance by Katie Taylor tonight. Gutierrez delighted to last 10 rounds.

What a role model.
Best Irish athlete of all time ?

Without a doubt.

Yes, by far.
No other Irish sportsperson comes anywhere close to what she's achieved.

[nrico2006]

Finding this hard to rank, loads of GAA athletes to consider as well. KT Taylor is up there with the all time greats of Irish sport. She is absolutely amazing. Anyone remotely involved in boxing at any level will know how special she is, a once in a generation athlete who has transcended the sport. She has moved women's boxing, she has moved boxing to a different level.

Being top dog in a minority sport doesn't make her the best Irish athlete or even part of the conversation. Some lads on here falling over themselves to appear politically correct. McIlroy is mixing it with the best in one of the biggest sports in the world - simply no comparison with women's boxing.

McIlroy definitely ahead of Taylor.

[Milltown Row2]

Katie's achievements are fantastic her level of professionalism is second to none and outside the sport she's been and continues to be a brilliant role model for kids, girls and the sport.

Unfortunately for me it's still a not big enough sport to say best Irish athlete all time, that's not her fault and maybe looking back in ten years I'd probably change my mind.

[JimStynes]

What about McGregor or does being a sc**bag rule him out?

[screenexile]

What about McGregor or does being a sc**bag rule him out?

Again a minority sport that was still in its infancy when he dominated. Taylor has beaten everyone and McGregor has been roundly beaten in his prime by Khabib Diaz and Mayweather!

I think Katie Taylor's achievements have been fantastic and she's fantastic and she'll always be in the conversation of the best ever sportsperson I just don't think she's the number 1!

She's not finished either looking forward to her fighting a bit more quality in the next few years but that was extremely impressive last night.

[SHEEDY]

Katie Taylor, Roy Keane, Henry shefflin and possibly few others all ahead of Mcilroy for me.

[Milltown Row2]

And this is when it descends into stupidity

[JimStynes]

It's probably going to go down to personal choice and interpretation of what the greatest actually is.  You could make a shout for Katie Taylor, Roy Keane, AP McCoy, McIlroy, McGregor etc. Katie Taylor has been nearly unbeatable for years in a fairly new sport, whereas the likes of McGregor is a global superstar and the first 2 weight world champion and pay per view star. Then the likes of AP McCoy who was at the top of his game for a long long time. McIlroy is also a global superstar but hasn't exactly fulfilled the promise that his early part of his career threatened to do but still has 4 majors and will hopefully go on to add another few onto his list.

[gallsman]

Finding this hard to rank, loads of GAA athletes to consider as well. KT Taylor is up there with the all time greats of Irish sport. She is absolutely amazing. Anyone remotely involved in boxing at any level will know how special she is, a once in a generation athlete who has transcended the sport. She has moved women's boxing, she has moved boxing to a different level.

Being top dog in a minority sport doesn't make her the best Irish athlete or even part of the conversation. Some lads on here falling over themselves to appear politically correct. McIlroy is mixing it with the best in one of the biggest sports in the world - simply no comparison with women's boxing.

How is golf one of the biggest sports in the world? From a commercial perspective at the top level, absolutely. In terms of number of participants? Not a chance.

[gallsman]

It's probably going to go down to personal choice and interpretation of what the greatest actually is.  You could make a shout for Katie Taylor, Roy Keane, AP McCoy, McIlroy, McGregor etc. Katie Taylor has been nearly unbeatable for years in a fairly new sport, whereas the likes of McGregor is a global superstar and the first 2 weight world champion and pay per view star. Then the likes of AP McCoy who was at the top of his game for a long long time. McIlroy is also a global superstar but hasn't exactly fulfilled the promise that his early part of his career threatened to do but still has 4 majors and will hopefully go on to add another few onto his list.

1) McGregor's sport is newer than Taylor's
2) McGregor isn't part of the GOAT conversation in his sport
3) He wasn't the first two weight world champion.
4) He wasn't the first PPV star

[JimStynes]

It's probably going to go down to personal choice and interpretation of what the greatest actually is.  You could make a shout for Katie Taylor, Roy Keane, AP McCoy, McIlroy, McGregor etc. Katie Taylor has been nearly unbeatable for years in a fairly new sport, whereas the likes of McGregor is a global superstar and the first 2 weight world champion and pay per view star. Then the likes of AP McCoy who was at the top of his game for a long long time. McIlroy is also a global superstar but hasn't exactly fulfilled the promise that his early part of his career threatened to do but still has 4 majors and will hopefully go on to add another few onto his list.

1) McGregor's sport is newer than Taylor's
2) McGregor isn't part of the GOAT conversation in his sport
3) He wasn't the first two weight world champion.
4) He wasn't the first PPV star

McGregor was the biggest star and probably still one of the biggest stars in UFC and MMA. Can't deny that. He is a complete p***k but he was very good. I didn't say he was the GOAT in his sport either. And if you're going by that as a way to measure who the greatest Irish sports person is then it rules out most of the names on anyones list. It's only really AP McCoy and Katie Taylor left.

There are other sportsmen that people don't include like Stephen Roach who was massive in the cycling world but no one cares about cycling here so he's never really mentioned.  A lot of people will say the like of Brian O'Driscoll but Rugby is a minority sport. There's only about 6 nations who are any use at it.

[JimStynes]

Finding this hard to rank, loads of GAA athletes to consider as well. KT Taylor is up there with the all time greats of Irish sport. She is absolutely amazing. Anyone remotely involved in boxing at any level will know how special she is, a once in a generation athlete who has transcended the sport. She has moved women's boxing, she has moved boxing to a different level.

Being top dog in a minority sport doesn't make her the best Irish athlete or even part of the conversation. Some lads on here falling over themselves to appear politically correct. McIlroy is mixing it with the best in one of the biggest sports in the world - simply no comparison with women's boxing.

How is golf one of the biggest sports in the world? From a commercial perspective at the top level, absolutely. In terms of number of participants? Not a chance.

Could say the same about boxing. Boxing participation numbers are hardly massive. It is a world wide sport like golf though.

As I said earlier, this is all about opinions and perception of what the greatest means. It would be a debate that no on would ever 100% agree on.