Katie Taylor’s highly anticipated homecoming fight against Amanda Serrano will not take place at Croke Park, as previously expected, due to high operating costs. Instead, the fight will be held at Dublin’s 3Arena on May 20. The decision was made after GAA authorities expressed concerns over who would cover the E400,000 security costs associated with hosting the fight at the stadium.
Eddie Hearn, the DAZN-aligned fight promoter, has revealed that operating costs at Croke Park make it £1 million more expensive than hosting a fight at Wembley Stadium, where he has previously hosted events for Anthony Joshua. Despite the higher cost, there had been hope that the fight could take place at Croke Park, but Hearn has now said that the 3Arena is the only viable option for the event.
While the 3Arena has a lower capacity than Croke Park, with only 9,000 to 10,000 seats, Hearn believes it is the best choice to give Taylor a proper homecoming in Ireland. He also revealed that Conor McGregor has offered to sponsor the event, and that a potential Irish vs. England showdown could take place at Croke Park in September, with the help of McGregor and the Irish government.
Although Croke Park and Wembley have a similar rental fee, the operational costs and security costs quoted by the GAA make Croke Park significantly more expensive to host a fight at. However, Hearn remains optimistic about the future and hopes that the Taylor-Serrano fight will be a success, paving the way for more events in Ireland.
