OLYMPIC CHAMPION KELLIE HARRINGTON has responded to Katie Taylor's father Pete Taylor's comments in a media interview today after the boxing coach responded to claims she made about him in her book.
The Portland Row native is currently doing a promotional media tour for her book called 'Kellie' and was the subject of a massive rant by Taylor senior for comments she made this week.
In Harrington's new book, the Dubliner opened up about her own relationship with Taylor: saying that she never won a fight with him in her corner, she wasn't allowed fight his daughter Katie as she was the prized asset in women's boxing, and various other things.
The book says “I could have learnt so much training with Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes and Kenny Egan, and Katie Taylor. But it just wasn’t happening, and that made it really hard. Katie didn’t spar with females; Pete didn’t want her sparring with them. I asked for it, but it never happened.
"The general attitude of the IABA towards women’s boxing really annoyed me. Women weren’t being looked after; just one woman — Katie — was. And the IABA were letting this happen. The women weren’t getting the opportunity to train with the best, and they weren’t being sent to the multi-nations training camps and tournaments that the men were being sent to."
Kellie Harrington of Ireland celebrates after defeating Beatriz Ferreira of Brazil in their women's lightweight final bout at the Kokugikan Arena during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic GamesPete Taylor's full statement responding to Harrington's book claims
Aftet this Taylor posted a series of Instagram stories on his own account hitting back at the 2020 Olympic champion for her comments in her book
"First I would like to congratulate the Irish female boxing team for their success in the latest championships. Ireland's female boxers are now as feared as the male Cubans," started the first post
"I don't usually respond on social media but I feel I have to address the lies and scandal Kellie Harrington has tried to create regarding my role in female boxing, to generate book sales.
"I'd like to start by stating that I am proud of my role and efforts both with the IABA and AIBA working to get female boxing recognised and for spearheading campaigns to get female boxing sanctioned in Ireland and as an Olympic sport.
"Kelly would unlikely be in the position she is in today if it wasn't for that: FACT.
"I travelled with Katie to every boxing tournament around the world, Katie was a trailblazer for women's boxing both domestically and internationally. She became a global Women's Boxing Ambassador AIBA.
"As quoted by former AIBA president Wu 'Katie has inspired a new generation of women boxers and the acceptance of women's boxing in the Olympic program has been in part, a result of her outstanding achievements': FACT.
"You said 'you were not given opportunities' yet you were away on trips with Irish boxing trips many times; Liverpool, Holland, Poland, to name a few. You were beaten in a box off in the national stadium to go to the worlds in Barbados by Allana Murphy. So you had many opportunities: FACT.
Harrington also claimed in her new book that Taylor stopped her from fighting other female fighters like his own daughter Katie Taylor.
Taylor senior disputed this claim, saying it was an 'absolute lie'.
"You claimed 'I stopped you boxing' which is another lie because no coach has the autonomy to select teams, which is a contributing factor as to why Billy Walsh and Bernard Dunne left AIBA. Everyone in boxing is well aware that central council select all national teams and not coaches: FACT.
https://www.instagram.com/petetaylorboxing/"You said Katie wasn't allowed to spar girls. Katie mainly sparred men but occasionally would spar girls when the time was right in camp for that spar, that's good coaching. You yourself stated that I am a good coach which is contradictory to other statements you made: FACT.
"You said 'I asked you to move up in weight to avoid Katie.' That is an absolute lie, you had 10 to 12 years to challenge Katie at 60kg, a choice you and your club made, you chose to weigh in at a different weight admitted by yourself in [the] article above, stating that you didn't have the confidence to box Katie, another lie, another FACT.
"You said 'I didn't let you train with Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlon' that was not my decision, that invitation had to come from the high-performance unit, not me, it is up to your club to put a proposal in requesting [the] same, FACT.
He also added that Taylor is the third best boxer behind his own daughter and current rising superstar Amy Broadhurst, and that Harrington has ducked a fight with Broadhurst.
"You should now step up to the plate, something you have not done previously and give the current world champion, Amy Broadhurst a box off instead of avoiding her in the national championships (sounds familiar.)
"You may be Olympic champion, a great achievement, but you are currently the third best 60kg boxer in the country behind Katie, and amateur world champ Amy Broadhurst.
"I know you need to sell your book and need a villain in the story, but don't use me as a reason for your insecurities over your lack of courage in stepping up to the plate when you have had plenty of opportunities to do so."
Harrington's response to Taylor's Instagram statement
Today the boxing superstar appeared on Off the Ball this morning to discuss the claims made by the well-known boxing personality.
The Dubliner explained that she hadn't even seen the comments made by Taylor and said that her intention was never to upset anybody.
"I haven't seen any of the stuff and that's being honest with you but people have asked me have I seen any of it," she told the outlet on Wendsday morning.
"I don't really need to look at it because at the end of the day my journey is my journey and that is my experience and it's my book and my life and it is what it is.
"I've never set out to cause any upset to anybody."
"It's in the book, I say it in the book about Katie how I would never challenge her and never had the confidence and I'm saying it now.
"I have confidence now because of what I've achieved and my training and how I stepped up.
"It is what it is, that's my experience. I don't have anything else to say about it.
"What I will say is that Katie Taylor is a fantastic athlete, a really great role model.
"I've never ever had any bad feeling towards Katie, she's been my role model.
"Katie's father and Katie are two different people."
When asked if she would like to clear the air she said 'no there's nothing to clear up'
"No absolutely not. There is nothing to clear up. I know what I know and he knows what he knows and all the people in the boxing world will know what they know and it is what it is. My story is my story.
"I don't have anything more to say about it and it is what it is. I am where I am, Katie is where Katie is and Pete is where Pete is."
