Deirdre Gogarty writes to Katie Taylor ahead of farewell fight

Deirdre Gogarty, Ireland’s first female world boxing champion, has sent an open letter to Katie Taylor reflecting on the evolution of the sport. Taylor, a two-weight undisputed world champion, is scheduled to fight Flora Pili at Croke Park in Dublin this Saturday, September 5. The match marks the final bout of Taylor's professional career. In 1996, a young Taylor wrote to Gogarty expressing doubt about the future of women’s boxing in Ireland and questioning if women would ever be permitted to compete in the Olympics. Taylor later helped secure the inclusion of women's boxing in the Olympic program, winning gold in 2012. Gogarty, who won 16 of her 23 professional fights, plans to attend the Croke Park event to witness the conclusion of Taylor’s career.

• 7:29 AMYahoo Sports — 'Dear Katie, how far we have come...' - Taylor gets reply from her hero
• 7:29 AMBBC Sport — 'Dear Katie, how far we have come...' - Taylor gets reply from her hero