Women's boxing stars pay tribute to Katie Taylor after her retirement victory at Croke Park

Some of the biggest names in women's boxing have paid tribute to Katie Taylor after the Irish great ended her career with victory over Flora Pili at Croke Park.

Unified lightweight champion Caroline Dubois called Taylor "one of the best to ever do it", while Claressa Shields said the 40-year-old deserved to "ride off into the sunset".

Taylor beat Pili on points in Dublin to become undisputed light-welterweight champion and retires with 26 wins from 27 professional contests, Olympic gold and three undisputed title triumphs across two divisions.

"Thank you so much for paving the way," Londoner Dubois wrote on X. "Wishing you happiness, success and joy for this next season."

Taylor was sharper throughout, repeatedly beating the Frenchwoman to the punch before finishing with one final burst of combinations as the crowd rose to its feet.

American Shields - the self-proclaimed Greatest Woman of All Time - added: "Congrats Katie. Now ride off into the sunset. You deserve it all."

Super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner described Taylor as "a trailblazer who helped set the stage for all of us".

"What a legacy," she wrote. "It's been a privilege watching your journey from the beginning."

Taylor's farewell unfolded in front of more than 80,000 fans in Dublin, with Westlife performing before the main event and Croke Park providing a fitting backdrop to her final night.

Former world champion Carl Frampton said Taylor's relationship with the Irish public was unlike anything else in boxing.

"You can tell that she doesn't enjoy doing stuff in front of the media, but she still has this adulation from everybody," the Northern Irishman said.

"Katie Taylor is different, she's special and there will never be another one like her."

Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew described the occasion as one of the most remarkable exits the sport had seen.

"I don't think in all of my years of watching this game, I have seen an exit as beautiful, amazing and fitting," he said.

"She has just retired as the greatest champion ever. I have never seen a fighter leave as an undisputed champion on their own terms."