As her latest defence of her lightweight world titles approaches on Saturday night, Katie Taylor has recalled one of the lower points of her career - and the role Roy Keane played in helping her to overcome the tribulations.
After sealing the 2012 Olympic gold medal in a landmark year for women's boxing, Taylor was unable to repeat her success at the 2016 Rio Olympics. An out-of-sorts Taylor lost to Mira Potkonen of Finland in the quarter finals, ending her amateur career without adding a second Olympic medal to her collection.
It was the lowest ebb of Taylor's career, and a major turning point, as she made the decision to go professional before the year was out in 2016.
She has gone on to great success in the professional world - and says that some kind and encouraging words from Roy Keane after the disappointment in Rio were very helpful along the way.
Katie Taylor hails "hero" Roy Keane ahead of title fight
Katie Taylor will fight Karen Carabajal of Argentina on Saturday night, to defend her WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine lightweight titles at the Wembley Arena.
She has been the undisputed champion for the past few years, and her professional career has cemented her legacy as one of Ireland's greatest ever sporting heroes.
Rio 2016, however, was a tough moment for Taylor, when it was unclear things would settle quite as well as they have. Speaking to the BBC ahead of this weekend's massive fight, Taylor said that a call from one of her fellow sporting heroes was helpful during the recovery from Rio.
She was asked to choose between Ireland's two "Keane icons" - Robbie and Roy. Taylor did not hesitate:
Roy Keane, he's my favourite athlete of all time. Since I was a kid, he's been someone I looked up to just a winning mentality.
[On 2016 Olympics] That was during my lowest point of my whole career, to get a phone call from my hero, just meant so much to me. Just an amazing athlete.
It's heartwarming for Irish sports fans to hear of such a touching encounter between two of the greatest sportspeople this country has ever produced.
Taylor was reunited with her father Pete at the weigh-ins this week ahead of her fight with Carabajal. Rio 2016 was also the end of her professional relationship with her dad, who was a crucial voice in Taylor's corner during the early years of her career.
Katie Taylor made the decision to step away from Pete as a coach after the breakdown of his marriage, but the pair were pictured in a warm embrace this week at the weigh-ins, in a touching moment.
28 October 2022; Katie Taylor with her father Pete after weigh-ins, at The Drum Wembley, ahead of her undisputed lightweight bout against Elizabeth Carabajal, on Saturday night at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Katie Taylor's title fight with Karen Carabajal takes place on Saturday night in London - Irish fans will be hoping to celebrate the Bray boxer's success once again.
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