Katie Taylor Overcomes Amanda Serrano in a Strategic Fight
After 60 minutes and 30 rounds of intense battle, the trilogy between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano came to an end. Taylor took the victory by majority decision, in a much more calculated and cautious confrontation than their previous duels, thus retaining her undisputed super lightweight championship.
The main event headlined a historic women’s boxing card that took place in a packed Madison Square Garden with a vibrant audience. Unlike their two previous exciting encounters, which Taylor won by a narrow margin, this time the Irishwoman employed her left hook and flurries to secure a more definitive decision, with two scorecards of 97-93 and one of 95-95.
The two previous clashes between Taylor and Serrano were electrifying fights that raised the profile of women’s boxing. This third encounter, which featured 17 world titles at stake, although it did not meet the expectations of the previous fights.
The first encounter between Taylor and Serrano took place on April 30, 2022, at Madison Square Garden, with a global audience of 1.5 million viewers. The rematch, last November, as a co-main event of the fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, became the most-watched women’s sporting event in the history of the United States, with an average of 74 million viewers worldwide.
On this occasion, both boxers starred in the main event in New York, showcasing the present and future of women’s boxing. However, it was the “Pride of Ireland” who sealed the rivalry with a victory that took her to 3-0.Katie Taylor (pantalones negros/dorados) y Amanda Serrano (pantalones blancos/rojos) reaccionan después de su pelea. Taylor ganó por decisión mayoritaria para retener su campeonato indiscutido de peso superligero.Unlike their previous encounters, the boxers were cautious in the first two rounds, before Serrano intensified the pressure in the third round. Taylor remained calm, choosing her moments, while Serrano threw her jab and connected occasional combinations.
Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs), opened up more in the fifth round, connecting with the right hand and preventing Serrano from cornering her, moving after each flurry of punches. Taylor began to time Serrano’s advances in the sixth round, connecting combinations to her opponent’s head each time she tried to move forward. Serrano’s lack of initiative led to her defeat.
In the final rounds, Taylor felt comfortable with the pace of the fight, connecting flurries and using her left hook to prevent the Puerto Rican from getting close. Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) did not show her best version, reacting only in the last round, when the decision had already been made.
With this victory, the most important rivalry in women’s boxing comes to an end, and the future of both boxers is uncertain. Although the final chapter did not reach the heights of their two previous encounters, Taylor and Serrano undoubtedly elevated women’s boxing to an unprecedented level.
In the co-main event, Alycia Baumgardner (16-1, 7 KOs 1 No Contest) retained her undisputed super featherweight championship with a unanimous decision over Jennifer Miranda (12-1), who was undefeated. “The Bomb” won with scores of 98-92, 98-92 and 97-93.
Baumgardner used her jab and tried to set traps to connect her powerful right hand. Miranda, however, was astute and connected several right-hand counterpunches to counter the champion’s advances.
Miranda was not active enough, allowing Baumgardner to initiate and finish too many exchanges. Baumgardner, after a long period of inactivity, stated in her post-fight interview that she felt rusty and wanted to return to the ring as soon as possible. With Jake Paul naming her as the future of Most Valuable Promotions, it is likely that she will stay active.
