A crowd watching Katie Taylor’s semi final bout on the big screen on Oliver Plunkett Street. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Katie Taylor is Ireland’s greatest sports person and is a superstar inside and outside the boxing ring.
That is the view of fellow champion boxer Kieran Joyce from Fair Hill, and WBO Intermediate Middleweight Champion Gary Spike O’Sullivan from Mahon who have been following her Olympic path to glory.
Two-time Olympics boxer Kieran said: “She’s a total lady inside the ring, and out. She came down to Youghal and boxed about six months ago and she was such a star. She’s a great role model.”
World Boxing Organisation’s Intermediate Middleweight champion Gary Spike O’Sullivan said Katie is Ireland’s finest sports person.
The boxer said: “I wouldn’t put my title on the line against her. She’d take on Tyson.”
Messages of admiration were pouring in for the 26-year-old champion from Bray from people who credit her with lifting the country’s spirits from the gloom of recession.
The climax of Katie’s incredible career is this evening’s fight against Russian southpaw Sofya Ochigava.
A Cork group of Katie fans hoping to get to this evening’s final had a moment of panic after their 8.10am flight to Stansted was diverted to Shannon because of fog. They were bussed to the midwest airport and made the flight in time.
The four-time world champion secured her place in the final with a 17-9 victory over Mavzuna Chorieva of Tajikistan yesterday.