Katie Taylor has joined an exclusive list of stellar athletes in her native Ireland.

The 2012 Olympic Gold medalist and undisputed lightweight champion was named the 2022 RTE (Raidio Teilifís Eireann) Sportsperson of the Year during a live airing Saturday evening on RTE Sport in Dublin. Taylor beat out a competitive field to claim the coveted award for a third time.

Taylor joined the ceremony via live satellite feed, while her older brother, Dr. Peter Taylor Jr., accepted the award on her behalf.

“I really wish I could’ve been there,” noted Taylor, who joined the ceremony via live satellite feed. “I’m so grateful. This year especially has been an exceptional year for Irish sport.”

Taylor (22-0, 6KOs) was honored for her two wins on the year, including a ten-round, split decision over Amanda Serrano (43-2-1, 30KOs) in their historic April 30 superfight. The pound-for-pound showdown took place in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with Taylor claiming a narrow win to defend her lineal/WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO lightweight championship.

The 36-year-old fighting pride of Bray, Ireland added a ten-round shutout over Argentina’s Karen Elizabeth Carabajal on October 29 at OVO Arena Wembley in London. The win marked her fourteenth successful defense of at least one lightweight title dating back to her October 2017 WBA title win over Anahi Esther Sanchez.

Among the list of nominees included horse racing’s Rachael Blackmore, the 2021 award recipient and the first ever female jockey to claim such honors. Amy Broadhurst, the 2022 World Amateur Light Welterweight champion, was the lone other boxer nominated in this year’s field.

The rest of the nominees were: previous two-time winner Rory McIlroy (golf); David Clifford (football), Josh van der Flier (rugby); Ronan Grimes (para-cycling); Katie McCabe (football), Rhys McClenaghan (gymnastics) and Ciara Mageean (Athletics).

“You have the likes of Amy Broadhurst, who pretty much had a perfect year,” acknowledged Taylor. “You have Rhys winning the gold medal in gymnastics. You have the girls qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. It’s absolutely phenomenal and exceptional year, so I’m so honored to have won this award again. I just want to continue to make everyone proud at home.”  

Saturday’s announcement leaves Taylor tied as the second-winningest recipient in the 37-year-history of the award. Taylor joins pro golfer Padraig Harrington as a three-time winner, second only to former track and field superstar Sonia O’Sullivan who has won the award five times.

Taylor claimed her first RTE Sportsperson of the Year award in 2012, honoring her Olympic Gold medal haul. The honor was fitting, as Taylor was instrumental in women’s boxing making its long overdue debut during the 2012 London Olympics. She also nabbed the award in 2020 following a repeat win over Delfine Persoon—whom she first edged in their June 2019 four-belt unification bout—and a landslide victory over then-unbeaten Miriam Gutierrez.

A boxer has claimed the RTE Sportsperson of the Year award six times, including Hall of Fame former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan who was the inaugural winner in 1985. Taylor is responsible for half of that title, with McGuigan, Michael Carruth (1992 Olympic Gold medalist) and current contender Michael Conlan (2015, World Amateur bantamweight champion) previously receiving the honor.

Taylor’s next fight is still in the works. Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn, Taylor’s career-long promoter, recently reiterated to BoxingScene.com of the intention to bring the Irish superstar home for the first time as a pro. Plans are being sought for a long overdue homecoming at the famed Croke Park in Dublin.

High on the priority list to headline is a coveted rematch with Serrano, the reigning lineal/WBC/IBF/WBO featherweight champion who will first face WBA titlist Erika Cruz in a bid to become Puerto Rico’s first-ever undisputed champion. From there, Serrano is keen on heading straight into a second meeting with Taylor in what could threaten to be the biggest fight in Irish boxing history.

“We're definitely pushing for a rematch in Croke Park,” Taylor told RTE. “The talks of making a fight at Croke Park is spine-tingling for me. Talks are definitely underway. I still feel like we’re a long way off… but I hope it does happen. It will be an awful shame if it doesn’t happen.

“The talks of fighting in front of 80,000 people, it gives me goosebumps. So, I hope that can happen soon.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox