A line of yellow cabs honk their horns, bustling for position along the wide expanse of 8th Avenue in downtown Manhattan.
Steam rises from the subway grates below as morning commuters, coffees and bagels in hand, walk briskly from the nearby Penn Station.
Rising from the ground in front of them stands the proud circular structure of Madison Square Garden - the iconic New York venue.
The intense, focused face of Katie Taylor, stares out from a giant billboard, promoting her world title fight against Puerto Rico's Amanda Serrano on Saturday night.
It's a long-anticipated clash between the two best women boxers in the world and the first time in the storied history of the venue that two women boxers top the bill.
Even in a city with as many distractions as New York this fight is a big deal.
And in the long and glorious career of Katie Taylor, this is just one more barrier that the Bray boxer has punched right from her path.
Sitting steely-eyed but relaxed before her pre-fight press conference, her frame more muscular now than in her amateur boxing days, she said it's a moment she has dreamt of all her life.
"There definitely does feel like there’s something different about this fight," she said.
"Ever since it was announced I can feel the excitement, I can feel the buzz from people. This is a moment in history on Saturday night. The first female fight to headline Madison Square Garden.
"It’s seen as the biggest fight in female boxing history and one of the most iconic moments of boxing as a whole. This is huge and I think victory on Saturday night would be the best night of my career."
It's been quite the journey from Bray to here. Before the fame and fortune came a love for boxing, a dedication to training and, above all else, a deep determination to get exactly where she is today. But back then most didn’t even dare to dream.
"My Da was running a club in Enniskerry and he brought me up one day and it was just natural progression from there," she said softly.
"I train two nights a week up in the club. I go for a run, come back hit the bags, skip, shadow box and spar. And you usually have a circuit at the end of the night."
She made first mention of winning an Olympic medal too, even though women weren’t even allowed to box in the Olympics at the time.
Her mam Bridget, by her side as ever in New York, said Katie set her sights on glory long before she turned 15.
"I think the dream for her came when she was very young," she said laughing.
"I remember even as a six or seven-year-old she used to stand on a chair in the kitchen and her hands would be raised.
"I used to say she was getting a medal for something, we just didn’t know what it was for. So the dream was always there. She had that belief."
Everyone knows what happened next. An Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion and now undisputed lightweight champion of the world. Her honours roll off the tongue.
But perhaps her biggest achievement is her legacy outside the ring and how she has broken down barriers for women in sport and in life.
"I think it is something that drives her to be honest with you," said Bridget after a short pause for thought.
"I think she is very aware of it. She is very conscious of it. But I think it’s the way she does it. She just quietly works away. She’s breaking down the ground and doing it in a very quiet way. And I think the more successful you are the less people can ignore you."
A telling insight into the mind of Katie Taylor.
And how she shattered norms and expectations of the time - in a world dominated by men. At first, she pretended to be a boy, tucking her hair into her headguard, boxing as K Taylor.
Proving her worth, she then won the first-ever sanctioned female fight in Ireland. Slowly, she set about dismantling the prejudice that barred women boxers from the Olympics. And of course, in her own quiet way, she made that happen.
As a young girl on the football pitch too - she broke the mould.
"The lads sometimes thought we’ll take liberties here, we’ll maybe give her a kick," remembers her coach at Newtown Juniors Hughie Nolan.
"But she just came back for more and gave as good as she got. They were wasting their time."
On a fine spring evening with the Wicklow hills in the background, he watches over the current crop of footballers benefiting to this day from the rule change forced by Katie’s talents.
When she was voted the best player - boy or girl - in Wicklow aged under-12 the league was forced to let her play, and beat the boys, for another year.
"We put it forward at an AGM to give her an extra year. They gave us the extra year and she was player of the year in the Wicklow League. The only girl to have won player of the year to this day. But that might change," he said with a smile.
Back in Manhattan, expectation and pressure is building. Katie said she's staying calm and focused but admits this is the biggest fight of her life.
"The greatest part about this journey is inspiring these young girls. I want to be able to inspire the next generation. That to me is the most special part about this. That’s the sort of legacy I want to leave in the sport."
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'Train to win' - Katie unconcerned with potential underdog status
Taylor and Serrano are the two best boxers in the world. It's the fight that everybody wants to see.
Experts are saying it’s too close to call. Among them is a man who knows all about winning world titles. Legendary boxer Barry McGuigan said he feels Katie is up against it, but can prevail.
"Katie’s exceeded all expectations in the past," he said. "Her story is a phenomenal story. I’ve got great respect for her.
"It’s a tough fight and hard to pick a winner. I’m hoping Katie can do it, but it will be difficult. Serrano is Puerto Rican, but based in New York. So she’ll have the home crowd. It won’t be easy."
In the hours before the fight, in the bowels of Madison Square Garden, Katie and her mam will spend some time together praying while Katie is doing her hair.
It’s a quiet time where they reflect and give thanks for everything Katie has achieved and all her career has given them. But when the bell rings and the fight is on, it's a different story.
"Ahhh I’m like something possessed," Bridget said laughing.
"None of my children want to sit beside me anyway. I’m either thumping them or screaming or whatever … I’m fairly animated I would say. But I'll be sick with nerves. I always am."
Inside the ropes, there’ll be no such thing. As Katie Taylor eyeballs Amanda Serrano and they trade blows for the first time, they’ll share a mutual respect at making history for women in sport.
Just one more barrier broken for Katie Taylor. One quiet punch at a time.
Follow Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano with live updates on RTE.ie/Sport and RTÉ News app from Sunday at 2.30am
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