Taylor vs. Pili Undercard Picks – Best Bets Beyond the Main Event
By Jaren Kawada in Boxing
Published:
- Katie Taylor and Flora Pili headline a nine-fight card at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland
- English heavyweight David Allen and Irish welterweight Paddy Donovan headline the undercard
- Check out the best analysis, predictions and bets for the full Katie Taylor vs. Flora Pili undercard below
Katie Taylor headlines one of the biggest boxing cards of the year in her retirement fight against Flora Pili at Croke Park. Taylor’s final appearance gives her an opportunity to reclaim the WBC women’s super lightweight title and end her career as the undisputed 140-pound queen once more.
Before Taylor and Pili take center stage, the Matchroom Boxing fight card features several other notable European prospects. Heavyweight journeyman David Allen (27-9-2) returns for the fourth time in five months against 30-year-old Irishman Thomas Carty (11-1) in the co-main event, one fight after Paddy Donovan (15-2) takes on Tyrone McKenna (25-6-1) in the featured bout.
Former UFC star Molly McCann (4-0) headlines the preliminary portion, making her fifth professional boxing appearance against Sylwia Doligala (8-2-2). The London native McCann fights for the first time in her boxing career outside of her home country.
Katie Taylor vs. Flora Pili Undercard Odds
Odds as of Sept. 4, 2026, on theScore Bet. Check out the best boxing apps in 2026 to place a wager.
Aside from Katie Taylor, Paddy Donovan is the biggest favorite on the card at -2000 to beat Tyrone McKenna. The veteran’s underdog value sits at +850.
While none of the top undercard fights are particularly close, the co-main event is the most even matchup according to the betting lines. David Allen is a -275 favorite over Thomas Carty, giving the Brit a 73.3 percent implied win probability in enemy territory.
David Allen vs. Thomas Carty Best Bet
David Allen is the bigger name in the co-main event, but the heavyweight matchup is evenly matched. Allen’s fan-pleasing, pressure-heavy style creates a unique clash with Carty’s defensive-focused boxing base.
Allen has the power and inside boxing to hurt and potentially stop someone like Carty, especially since the Irishman is not as much bigger than him as some heavyweights. Yet Carty always fights with discipline and can be difficult to hit.
If the fight turns into another classic Dave Allen slugfest, it will likely be ‘The White Rhino’ collecting another win in highlight-reel fashion. But if Carty gets his way, this could turn into an unexciting poke-fest with Allen struggling to get into his range.
Allen is competing for the fourth time in five months, a wildly high activity rate at this level in the heavyweight division. That hyperactivity could catch up with him in the ring on Saturday.
- Boxing Picks: Thomas Carty Moneyline (+200 at theScore Bet)
Paddy Donovan vs. Tyrone McKenna Prediction
After having his entire career momentum halted by Lewis Crocker, Paddy Donovan looked like an improved fighter in his most recent outing against Karen Chukhadzhian. ‘The Real Deal’ rebounded from his losses with a much more disciplined approach that thwarted Chukhadzhian’s unorthodox movement and made his power more effective.
Donovan still has multiple glaring holes in his game, but bouncing back with a win over Chukhadzhian keeps him in the welterweight title picture. He admitted he is taking a risk in this fight with McKenna, but the style matchup suits him even better than it did in his last fight.
McKenna fights out of a tricky southpaw stance with unorthodox movement and punches coming from odd angles. That style is good enough to confuse regional-level fighters, but McKenna lacks sufficient footwork to pull it off against elite competition.
Coming off a solid win over Chukhadzhian, in which he executed a consummate game plan, Donovan is well equipped to shine against McKenna. The 27-year-old gets a clean win at home on the scorecards.
- Boxing Picks: Paddy Donovan by Decision (+225 on theScore Bet)
Taylor Bevan vs. Emmet Brennan Best Bet
Another Britain vs. Ireland matchup unfolds in the super middleweight division when undefeated prospects Emmet Brennan and Taylor Bevan clash on the undercard. Brennan is the hometown fighter but will be dealt a harsh reality check by his 25-year-old foe.
Bevan is the younger fighter who will be significantly faster, much more powerful and owns all the danger factor. Brennan is slow and methodical and likes to take his time getting going, something Bevan will not let him do.
The speed difference will be evident from the jump and Bevan could get out to an early lead that Brennan cannot overcome. Brennan lacks the timing or movement to compensate for his slow hands, giving Bevan a clear path to his ninth professional stoppage victory.
Brennan tends to fight defensively, but Bevan is predatory when he smells blood and acts like a snowball rolling downhill when he finds his rhythm. Brennan does not have the power to trade with Bevan or even thwart his constant pressure.
- Boxing Picks: Taylor Bevan by KO/TKO (+175 on theScore Bet)
Molly McCann vs. Sylwia Doligala Prediction
Despite having nearly three times more professional boxing experience, Sylwia Doligala will find herself overmatched against Molly McCann. The former UFC star might not be competing for world titles anytime soon, but Eddie Hearn has done a fine job of giving her the right opponents to dazzle on in the spotlight.
Doligala enters the matchup riding a three-fight win streak against opponents with a combined record of 26-129-1. She has spent her entire career going to war with the absolute bottom of the barrel, fighting on thin margins with her movement-based approach and nonexistent defense.
McCann has better timing, power and overall boxing than Doligala, whose entire game plan consists of darting in and out of range with the same handful of combinations in her arsenal. McCann will time her entries with crisp counters that Doligala has not shown to have any answer for.
Doligala can be a difficult fighter to track down, yet hardly sits down on any of her punches and does not have the power to threaten McCann. ‘Meatball’ could be in for her first stoppage victory since her pro debut, but odds are she gets the job done on the cards.
- Boxing Picks: Molly McCann by Decision (+130 on theScore Bet)
