Katie Taylor’s return to the ring to face Amanda Serrano in the highly anticipated rematch is yet another highlight in her storied boxing career. Born on July 2, 1986, in Bray, Ireland, Taylor was the youngest of four siblings, and competed in a range of sports as a child, including Irish Gaelic games and soccer — in fact, Taylor would eventually go on to play for the Irish Senior women’s team. Boxing, however, was the sport that held a special place in her heart.

Taylor’s father, Peter, boxed as an amateur, and coached both of her older brothers. Her mother Bridget was the first female boxing judge in Ireland. After years of play sparring with her brothers at home as a child, she followed her father down to the local boxing club and joined in the training sessions, eager to compete. However, in the late ’90s, women’s boxing was...