Roy Keane shares touching Katie Taylor story as Manchester United legend shows off softer side
Roy Keane may be known for being a frosty character, but he has a soft spot for Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor.
The Irishwoman won countless gold medals for her country as an amateur, including gold at the London 2012 Olympics, and she went on to become undisputed lightweight champion as a professional.
Meanwhile, Keane is one of Ireland's best ever footballers, making 67 appearances for his country, and he won it all at club level with Manchester United, including seven Premier League titles and the Champions League.
With two sporting icons from one country, it was inevitable that they would cross paths one day.
And Keane explained how that happened on the Stick To Football podcast, alongside boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and fellow former professional footballers Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott and Ian Wright.
"I met Katie once, she came to an Ireland match," Keane revealed.
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"I spoke to Katie after she got beat in the Olympics [quarter-final in 2016] and I’d just seen an interview where she was really upset.
"I got in touch with her and just said: 'listen, keep your spirits up'.
"And that was it. We kept in touch, the odd text here and there.
"But yeah she came to an Ireland match once and I met her. Amazing fighter and she’s certainly doing Ireland proud."
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Hearn then chimed in to say that the admiration that Keane has for Taylor is mutual: "She is your biggest fan, you are her absolute idol and hero."
Last time out, Taylor suffered the first defeat of her professional career as she jumped up in weight to take on undisputed super lightweight world champion Chantelle Cameron.
But, on November 25, Taylor will have the chance to get her revenge at the 3Arena in Dublin, as she clashes with Cameron in a rematch.