What will it be like to referee Taylor v Pili?

When Katie Taylor steps into the ring at Croke Park in front of 80,000 fans for her world title fight with Flora Pili on Saturday night it will not just represent the fulfilment of a dream for the legendary Irish boxer.

For Belfast referee David Irving, who will be the man in the middle for the 27th and final professional bout of Taylor’s decorated career, it will also be the realisation of a long-held ambition.

Taylor will aim to become a three-time undisputed world champion when she takes on Frenchwoman Flora Pili in Dublin.

The 40-year-old, who has won 25 professional fights and avenged her only defeat against Chantelle Cameron, will defend her light-welterweight WBO, WBA and IBF titles against Pili, who boasts an unbeaten 12-0 record.

With the vacant WBC title on the line, the Bray fighter has finally got her dream of boxing in front of a packed crowd at the Dublin venue.

But much focus will also centre on Irving, who regards taking charge of the contest as “right up there” with any of his previous assignments during more than 30 years as a referee.

“I can’t believe that on Saturday night I’m going to be refereeing the biggest fight Ireland has ever seen. That is just amazing to try and understand,” he told BBC Sport NI.

“It’s an amazing honour to be recognised as an A-star referee, a world-class referee, to have people’s confidence and support to referee such a big event.

“I’m thrilled, sometimes I still can’t believe it. People come up to me and congratulate me and show me a lot of support.

“I’ve hoped that one day before I retire I would hopefully get a world title fight at home, with the WBC, and the dream has come true.”

‘An icon in and out of the ring’

A former boxer himself with Holy Trinity in west Belfast, Irving’s refereeing career has taken him around the globe, but being in charge of such a prestigious and historic fight in his native Ireland is a challenge that he is looking forward to hugely.

“I’ve been travelling the world since 2014 and I’ve always said I wish someone from Ireland would be up to that standard with the WBC,” he added.

“I always said to myself wouldn’t it be amazing to have someone that I could referee at home and lo and behold, Katie Taylor. She’s an unbelievable ambassador for boxing and she opens herself up to everybody, not just in boxing.

“She has a great fanbase, she’s a household name, north and south of Ireland, and to be part of that and to referee her I’m absolutely gobsmacked.

“In and out of the ring, she is such an icon.”

Taylor has long craved a contest at Dublin’s Croke Park stadium [Getty Images]

‘Being ready for the unexpected’

Irving says he will go through a well established routine in his preparations for the big fight.

“A world title fight you make sure you have your uniform together, your pens, your scorecard, your towel and your water.

“You make sure you are hydrated because it could be a warm night and the fight could go the whole way, the whole 10 rounds, which can be very tiring.

“I’ll be prepared, I always do a bit of training, always keep myself right eating wise.

“I can assure everyone that I’ll be ready, no matter how big the fight is, how big of an occasion it will be, I’ll be ready. I’m just looking forward to getting in there and I just hope it all goes according to plan.”

The Belfast referee added that being prepared for all potential scenarios, including those that may not be anticipated, is all part of being fight-ready.

“It’s the unexpected, being a referee. That part of me is always ready to go. That’s where the confidence and the experience I have got now comes in, they have that confidence in me to make it an equal and smooth competition and may the best person win.

“You will be nervous, that’s the thing about boxing, it’s the unexpected.

“If you’re a boxer, you go out to box, you have your programme in mind, you’ve done your work and you’re ready to go.

“Refereeing is just the same. I’ve done my work, kept myself together, and do a lot of work, I do a lot of remote scoring, keep myself sharp, looking for the unexpected, and to be as quick as I can for the unexpected.”