‘Love snuck up on me’ – Katie Taylor on finding happiness with husband Sean McCavanagh and her new ‘quiet’ life in Connecticut

World champion tells of her ‘lovely, unexpected season’ and break from boxing ring

The 39-year-old world super lightweight champion and Olympic gold medallist surprised many when she appeared in Co Wicklow earlier this year with her new husband, who it later emerged was American real estate agent Sean ­McCavanagh.

She shared a picture of herself and McCavanagh from their wedding day to loud applause on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show.

“That is on the day,” she told host ­Patrick Kielty. “It’s definitely been a lovely and unexpected season for me.

“I think since I was a teenager I have been so focused on boxing I had very little room for relationships and, honestly, even the thought of a relationship was out of the way for me.

“It’s so lovely that love snuck up on the later stages of my career. Myself and my husband Sean, we have a lovely quiet life in Connecticut. We’re very happy, thank God.”

As she proudly held up her hand to display her wedding ring, Taylor confirmed McCavanagh enjoyed his trip to her home county of Wicklow in September.

“He loved it. His name is Sean ­McCavanagh, so he is very, very Irish himself,” she said, smiling.

“He thinks he’s Irish. You know, one of those Irish Americans.”

Katie Taylor on her wedding day

Taylor is now stepmother to McCavanagh’s two sons and three daughters aged from 11 to 23, from his late first wife, Alicia, who died in October 2023.

As she sat next to her numerous belts and silverware in the studio, US-based Taylor revelled in being in Ireland once again.

“It’s great to be back. I think I only get home like maybe two or three times per year at this stage,” she said.

“So, it’s always great to be back – there’s no place like home. I’m just trying to catch up with family and just see everyone, but it’s amazing to be here.”

There were definitely moments along the way where I missed my dad

Her father Pete Taylor, who was an amateur light-heavyweight champion, trained Taylor for much of her career. But after a falling out, he was forced to watch his daughter’s fights from the sidelines for nine years before they reconciled after her bout with Amanda Serrano in July.

She commented on his absence from the Rio Olympics, saying: “I think there’s a lot going on with family life, and that’s family – there’s both complicated and beautiful at the same time.

“There were definitely moments along the way where I missed my dad, I missed having him in the corner.

“I stepped away from my dad as a coach, but he never stopped being my dad. We have been good for many years, to be honest.

“I think my trust in him as a coach is second to none. He is the one who taught me how to box after all, and to have him over in Connecticut for a few weeks, helping me to prepare for the Serrano fight, was really like a full-­circle moment, it was so special to have him there.”

Katie Taylor celebrates after defeating Amanda Serrano. Photo: Getty

Taylor also paid tribute to her mother, Bridget, who was in the studio.

“It’s hard to put into words but she has been the one constant throughout the ups and downs of my life,” she said.

“She has helped me to achieve my dreams and the thing I love about my mam is that she is the most selfless person you could ever meet. She just lays her life down for her whole family and her kids and we’d all be lost without her.”

She added she is currently enjoying her break from boxing, as she gears up for a public Q&A event in Killarney in January, and also plans to spend Christmas in Ireland with her family.

“Life in the recess has been great. I think this is the first time I have taken a break in my whole career, both amateur and professional,” she said.

The time to relax and reflect with family has been amazing

“When you have 20 years of routine, the routine is so automatic, it’s in your bones. So, I have to actually put in effort not to train.

“I can prepare for a fight, but the time to relax and reflect with family has been amazing, so it’s been a really lovely time for me.”

She laughed as she was shown a picture of her first proper fight as a teenager in 2001.

”Only 15 years of age. I look a bit chubby back then,” she said.

“I think I have lived three different lives since then. I felt like the London Olympics was an era.

“The Rio Olympics was a separate era, and then my pro career was a whole ­other era, so a lot has happened since 2001.”

Taylor also emphasised that her faith is very important to her.

“It’s the most important thing to me,” she said.

“It doesn’t just help me in my fights. I think it helps me with everything. It helps me makes sense of the world.”