Additional Coverage:
Irish boxing champion Katie Taylor has opened up about the surprise her husband, Sean McCavanagh, felt over the intense public interest in their relationship.
Taylor and McCavanagh married in 2025 but have kept their personal life largely out of the spotlight. Now living together in a quiet part of Vernon, Connecticut, the couple values their privacy amid Taylor’s preparations for the final fight of her career. On September 5, she will face Flora Pili at Croke Park, marking the end of an illustrious professional journey.
The 40-year-old athlete first publicly acknowledged her relationship with McCavanagh during a visit to a rehabilitation center in Wicklow in September 2025. Speaking at the launch of her new collaborative drink, Fizzique by SiSu, Taylor revealed that her husband, a father of five, was taken aback by the media attention he has received.
“He’s quite shocked by the amount of coverage it gets. He’s very camera-shy himself,” Taylor said.
She added that their mutual preference for privacy is a cornerstone of their strong relationship. “We both don’t like the camera.
We have a great understanding of what this is all about and can step in and out of the media when we want.”
Despite initially keeping their marriage under wraps, Taylor has no regrets about the news eventually coming out. “It’s part and parcel of the job, I suppose,” she remarked.
“I still live a very quiet life. It’s important to keep a part of your life private and enjoy family time without the cameras.”
Residing in Connecticut allows Taylor to maintain a relatively low profile away from the public eye. “America is such a big country, so it is great to have the peace and quiet over there as well,” she said.
“We’re living in a beautiful, very quiet area, which is fantastic. I like being anonymous there, but I also get to come home often to see family.
I get the best of both worlds, really. I’m very, very blessed.”
McCavanagh’s family faced hardship when his first wife, Alicia, passed away suddenly in October 2023. He is now raising their five children. Taylor was already familiar with the family through their shared Pentecostal church community and past family gatherings, including a trip to a Boston baseball game.
As Taylor prepares for her final bout, she boasts an impressive professional record of 25 wins and just 1 loss, highlighted by victories over top fighters such as Amanda Serrano and Chantelle Cameron. Her opponent, Flora Pili, remains undefeated with a 12-0 record and notable wins over former title challengers.
The September 5 match promises to be a fitting finale to Taylor’s remarkable boxing career.