Quick Read
- Katie Taylor married Sean McCavanagh in a private ceremony in 2025.
- She has become a stepmother to McCavanagh’s five children, aged 11 to 23.
- Taylor described her new role as a “great privilege” and a “blessing.”
- She knew she would marry McCavanagh early on during a Bruno Mars concert.
- Taylor feels meeting him later in her career was “perfect” for her boxing focus.
WORLD (Azat TV) – Irish boxing icon Katie Taylor has offered a rare glimpse into her private life, confirming her marriage to Sean McCavanagh last year and expressing profound joy and a sense of “great privilege” in her new role as a stepmother to his five children. Speaking recently on RTÉ Radio 1 with Brendan O’Connor, Taylor shared details about her private wedding in 2025 and the adjustments and blessings that have come with expanding her family, marking a significant personal chapter for the fiercely private athlete.
Katie Taylor Embraces Stepmother Role
Taylor, renowned for her unparalleled achievements in professional boxing, revealed that she has embraced her new family life with enthusiasm. She described her husband Sean McCavanagh’s five children – two sons and three daughters ranging in age from 11 to 23 – as “great kids” with “great senses of humour.” McCavanagh became a widower in October 2023 when his previous wife passed away, and Taylor has since stepped into the role of stepmother, which she unequivocally calls “absolutely a blessing.”
The Bray native emphasized that while becoming a wife and stepmother has presented “lots of adjustments and lots of challenges,” it hasn’t fundamentally changed her as a person. Instead, she views it as a period of enjoyment and learning. “I’m definitely enjoying it and learning from it,” Taylor stated on RTÉ Radio 1. “It’s a great privilege to be a stepmother and I’m very privileged to be a wife to an amazing man. I want to honour my husband, and I want to be the best stepmother I can be as well.”
Sean McCavanagh and Their Private Wedding
Katie Taylor married Sean McCavanagh, an American, in a private ceremony in 2025. The couple’s relationship had been kept largely out of the public eye, with fans first noting a ring on Taylor’s finger in July 2025, sparking speculation about her marital status. She later provided some insight into her wedding during an appearance on the Late Late Show in November, before her more recent in-depth interview. Taylor recounted the moment she knew McCavanagh was the one for her, recalling a Bruno Mars concert in Connecticut. “It wasn’t our first date, but one of the first dates and [Bruno’s song, Marry You] resonates with me because I knew on that date I was going to marry this guy,” she explained. She quickly recognized him as “a great guy with a great heart and a man of integrity” who also “loves the Lord.”
A New Season for the Boxing Legend
Taylor reflected on the timing of meeting McCavanagh, noting that it happened later in her illustrious boxing career. This timing, she believes, was “perfect,” as her earlier years were intensely focused on her Olympic dreams and professional aspirations. “I don’t think I would’ve entertained being in a relationship early on in my career, because I was so focused and driven on my Olympic dream,” Taylor said. Now, she sees this period as “an amazing season of my life where I can sit back and enjoy married life.” This shift highlights a natural evolution for an athlete who has dedicated decades to her sport, now finding fulfillment in personal relationships and family life.
Katie Taylor’s decision to share details about her marriage and family life marks a notable departure from her typically guarded public persona, offering a rare glimpse into the personal world of one of Ireland’s most celebrated and private sporting figures.