What next for 2024 Olympic Gold Medallist Kellie Harrington?

Kellie Harrington cemented her legacy as Ireland's greatest ever amateur fighter when she eclipsed Katie Taylor's achievements by becoming a two-time Olympic Gold Medallist in Paris this summer, but what's next for the 'retired' fighting sensation?

Kellie Harrington's fitting farewell

In boxing, few fighters’ careers have a happy ending, never mind a perfect one.

A quick glance at the history books confirms that the vast majority of boxers retire on the back of a loss, well beyond their prime years and to opponents they would have handled with ease, years earlier.

This fate has befallen even some of the best, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard.

However, Kellie Harrington may just have written an impeccable conclusion to her own remarkable story.

In front of 15,000 spectators, the Irishwoman became a double Olympic champion, defending the lightweight title she won in Tokyo, three years previous.

In doing so, the 34-year-old made history by becoming the first female Irish athlete to retain their Olympic crown, in any sport. It's an achievement that even the great Katie Taylor is unable to match.

She could subsequently have opted to follow in the footsteps of the Bray woman and attempt to replicate her success on the professional stage.

There will likely have been plenty of money put on the table to tempt her; there certainly was in 2021, but Harrington has made it clear, the paid ranks, right now, do not interest her.

Instead, she has, opted to bring the curtain down on a truly remarkable career.

“It’s the last hurrah,” Harrington said in the aftermath of her victory over Yang Wenlu in the gold medal bout. “I’m done. I always said I’d retire a champion. That’s it.”

Such proclamations from pugilists are not uncommon, and are often reversed, but there does seem to be a sense of finality in Harrington’s words.

If this the end of the road for the Dubliner, it is a fitting finale for the greatest Irish amateur fighter of all time.

The 'Katie Taylor v Kellie Harrington' pull

Surely, the clamour for a potential all-Irish world championship dust-up will carry some appeal to Harrington?

It's a blockbuster bout that would earn the pair millions, you'd think, but as has been mentioned previously, even those apparent riches don't quite have the pulling power needed to sway the double Olympic champion's thinking.

“If she did turn professional, that’s a massive fight at home for her because you don’t get fighters that are that talented in the same weight division very often,” former world champion Barry McGuigan told DAZN previously.

"So it’s a great opportunity for her to box at home and to box someone as, you know, legendary as Katie Taylor. That would be an amazing fight.

“But the decision of course is going to be down to Kellie herself and her family and it’s a tough decision to make. It’s a tough old road the professional boxing game and I’m sure Katie Taylor would tell you that.

“But those opportunities are available to her and I very much wish her the very best of luck.”

Kellie Harrington's Olympic emergence

Her emergence as a dominant force on the international scene began in 2018, as she stood atop the podium at the World Championships, held in New Delhi.

There had been glimpses of her potential two years previous, as Harrington had to settle for silver, falling agonisingly short against Wenlu, up at light-welterweight.

In India, she ensured she would not suffer the same agony twice, beating Sudaporn Seesondee, of Thailand, in a back-and-forth battle.

The Irish star further cemented her credentials as the best 60kg boxer on the planet by capturing gold in the lightweight division, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021.

At the quarter-final stage, Harrington comprehensively outboxed Imane Khelif, to win a unanimous decision. It is a victory that has aged well, given that the Algerian went on to win the welterweight event in Paris.

In the next round, Harrington faced a familiar foe in Seesondee. The Thai had been in good form, eliminating Caroline Dubois of Team GB en-route to the semi-final.

As had been the case at the World Championships, the contest was close, but it was the Dubliner who once again prevailed.

In the final, Harrington battled, reigning world champion, Beatriz Ferreira, of Brazil.

It was an eerie bout, with no crowd in attendance due to Covid restrictions. Harrington did not allow the unusual circumstances to overwhelm her, producing the performance of a lifetime to defeat ‘The Beast.’

She had done it. Olympic glory was hers. The weight class that Katie Tayor had dominated for years was once more reigned over by an Irishwoman.

Repeating the 'Golden' feat in Paris

In the intervening years, Ferreira turned professional and in April of this year, became IBF 135lbs champion.

Of course, under current rules, professional fighters can box at the Olympics and, in Paris, the Brazilian and Harrington clashed again.

This time, it was at the semi-final stage, in a bout which took place in a warehouse, near to Charles De Gaulle airport.

The contest was deserving of being staged at Roland Garros, but it was not to be.

The old foes produced one of the best fights of the competition, but it was Harrington who did enough - just.

In the final, she met another old rival, in Yang Wenlu - the Chinese fighter who had beaten her in Astana, eight years previous.

Wenlu is a classy operator who holds wins over, professional world champions, Sandy Ryan and Skye Nicholson.

However, Harrington would not be denied. While the judging may indicate the fight was close, in reality, the Dubliner won handily.

She had retained her crown, an achievement not even Taylor was capable of.

The perfect end to an incredible career...