Katie Taylor’s father says Kellie Harrington’s criticism of him is “absolute lies”

Lee Costello

Harrington claimed that ‘if it wasn’t for him women’s boxing would have progressed earlier than it has’.

Katie Taylor’s father, Peter Taylor, has responded to Kellie Harrington’s criticism of him in her new book, where she claimed that “if it wasn’t for him women’s boxing would have progressed earlier than it has”.

The Olympic gold medalist made some damming comments of the former AIBA and IABA coach, including claims that he told Harrington to move up in weight to avoid Katie, and that he would never let her spar his daughter.

Taylor coached Katie from when she was a child, all the way until her Olympic glory of 2012, but a fallout between the pair in 2015 meant that they stopped working together.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, the 2020 Olympian said that she idolised Taylor, but her views on the star’s father have tarnished that perception somewhat.

“It’s hard to keep looking up to someone when the father was more or less holding me and holding women’s boxing back. The rest of us were seen as hangers-on.

“Pete Taylor is a great coach but if it wasn’t for him women’s boxing would have progressed earlier than it has. He did what he wanted for his daughter. A lot of female boxers suffered because of it.”

Peter Taylor has since taken to Instagram to share his response to Harrington’s accusations, and the professional boxing coach didn’t hold back.

“A response to @kelly_harrinton14,” he shared on the social media platform’s story function.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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 article above, stating that you didn’t have the confidence to box Katie, another lie, another FACT.

Kellie Harrington with former Irish Olympian Michael Conlan

“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 same, FACT.

“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.)

Amy Broadhurst and Kellie Harrington

“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 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.”

Peter Taylor is currently training several Irish fighters in the pro game, including Gary Cully, who won his fight in emphatic fashion on Katie Taylor’s undercard last week.

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