Taylor makes it 3-0 vs. Serrano, retains undisputed 140 women's title
Wins majority decision but fight doesn't have kind of wild action that their first two close, epic battles produced; undercard results
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The first two chapters of the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano saga produced unforgettable action-packed fights that Taylor won by razor close margins in easily two of the greatest female bouts of all time.
Because they were so wildly entertaining, so close, and generated so much interest, the third fight was the only bout that made sense for them and so they were back at it for the third time on Friday night with expectations sky high for another memorable battle.
While they did not come remotely close to the shock and awe of their previous fights, two things remained the same: it was extremely competitive and Taylor won again.
Taylor was awarded a majority decision as she swept the trilogy 3-0 and retained the undisputed junior welterweight title for the second time in the main event of Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions card on Netflix at raucous Madison Square Garden in New York.
One judge scored it 95-95 but the other two judges had it 97-93 for Taylor. Fight Freaks Unite had it 96-95 for Taylor, who is also the former undisputed lightweight champion.
“I want to thank Amanda Serrano. What an amazing fighter,” Taylor said. “We made history together three times. This was an historic fight. It was such a pleasure to share the ring with her. We’re history-makers forever.”
The card, by far the biggest all-female boxing event ever, included five world title fights and one interim title bout but it was friendly rivals Taylor and Serrano that the crowd came to see hoping they would replicate the intensity of fights No. 1 and 2.
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It didn’t work out that way. The fight started slowly and never really got into second gear.
Almost nothing happened in the opening round as they combined to land three punches, but all three judges gave the round to Taylor.
But as round after round went by it was evident that this would be a more tactical and disciplined fight from both women. After all, they had already spent 20 rounds putting severe hurt on each other and perhaps neither had the appetite for another batch of savagery.
There were few exchanges here and there and they each tried to pressure the other from time to time.
“I tried to keep my distance and not go in there and fight with her because apparently it didn’t work the first two fights, so we tried to stick with the long punches, the 1-2s, and I guess it just wasn’t enough,” Serrano said. “One judge saw it even. I have to go back and see it. My team said I won. Obviously, I’m gonna go with what my team tells me. They were telling me what to do and I was trying to apply it in the ring.”
Most of the rounds were very close with little to differentiate them. Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs), 36, a Puerto Rican southpaw, who fights out of Brooklyn, New York, and is the only female seven-division world champion, landed some straight left hands and Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs), 39, of Ireland, as usual, was adept at countering off the ropes.
After the sixth round the fight was even with each woman ahead on one scorecard and the third card even, though they did not know it at the time. But Taylor won three of the final four rounds on two scorecards and swept the final four on the third.
By the end of the eighth round, Taylor had damage under her right eye but wound up having two of her best rounds in the ninth and 10th, when she became more aggressive.
“I thought I was boxing very, very smart,” Taylor said. “She wasn’t catching me with much tonight. But it’s always a close contest between myself and Amanda Serrano. Sometimes it’s hard to tell from each round but I just thank God my hand was raised and I’m 3-0.
“I was obviously trying to come in here and fight disciplined and smart. I tried two times but it didn’t work out like that. But tonight I executed the game plan very well. Move my feet and don’t let her get started. I just have a huge ton of respect for Amanda. What a warrior.”
According to CompuBox statistics, they landed the same number of punches. Taylor landed 70 of 231 punches (30 percent) and Serrano landed 70 of 382 (18 percent) but noticeably missed many by several inches. Their punch output and connects were far lower than in the first two bouts.
It was the culmination of a rivalry that began on April 30, 2022 before a sold-out crowd of 19,187 at the Garden, where Taylor won a highly disputed split decision — 97-93, 96-93 for Taylor and 96-94 for Serrano — to retain the undisputed lightweight title in a wildly enthralling fight that was the consensus women’s fight of the year.
After Taylor moved up to junior welterweight and suffered her only loss, a decision challenging undisputed champion Chantelle Cameron in Taylor’s Ireland homecoming in a blazing slugfest, they met in an immediate rematch and, in another fantastic fight, Taylor won a close decision and the title.
Taylor took a year off but then the stage was set for the rematch with Serrano, the unified featherweight champion, who moved up in weight. They met again this past Nov. 15 in the Paul-Mike Tyson co-feature before 72,300 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and delivered another phenomenal battle as they stole the show. It was a brutal and heart-pounding slugfest, which Taylor won by another disputed decision, 95-94 on all three scorecards, in a fight in which Serrano fought through a gruesome cut over her right eye and accused Taylor of repeated purposeful head butts.
It was also a tremendous commercial success. Netflix averaged 74 million viewers for the bout globally. It was the most-watched women’s sporting event in United States history and was the consensus women’s fight of the year. Netflix noticed and anted up millions to have them headline the streaming services’ second boxing event.
Serrano got emotional during her post-fight interview, reflecting on how she and Taylor had helped women’s boxing break through to the point where they could fill major arenas and be surrounded by talented women in championship fights on the undercard.
“It was an amazing night for all of us women. I’m crying because you guys support us,” Serrano told the crowd. “Thanks to all of you we’re able to show our skills and have this great platform for women. We’re warriors, we can fight, we can sell and we look good doing it.
“Thank you, Katie Taylor, for an incredible three fights and 30 rounds. They’ve been truly an honor.”
It will end there. With Taylor 3-0 in the rivalry there is no need for a fourth fight and she doesn’t want one anyway.
Ahead of the fight, there was widespread speculation that perhaps Taylor would retire regardless of the outcome. She said he was unsure what she would do next but she was quite sure it won’t be another fight with Serrano.
“I don’t know (what’s next) but I just don’t want to fight Amanda Serrano again,” Taylor said with a laugh. “She punches too hard.”
Undercard results
In the other title fights on the card:
In the co-feature, undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner (16-1, 7 KOs), 31, of Detroit, was pushed hard by Jennifer Miranda (12-1, 1 KO), 38, of Spain, but retained the title by unanimous decision, 98-92, 98-92 and 97-93.
In a hard-fought, action fight, Shadasia Green (16-1, 11 KOs), 35, of Paterson, New Jersey, eked out a split decision over Savannah Marshall (13-2, 10 KOs), 34, of England, to unify the WBO and IBF super middleweight titles. Green won 96-93 and 95-94 despite being docked one point for holding by referee Thomas Taylor while one judge had it 96-93 for Marshall.
Ellie Scotney (11-0, 0 KOs), 27, of England, cruised to a unanimous decision over Yamileth Mercado (24-4, 5 KOs), 27, of Mexico, to retain the WBO and IBF junior featherweight titles and win the WBC belt in their unification fight. Scotney won 100-90, 98-92 and 98-92.
Cherneka Johnson (18-2, 8 KOs), 30, of Australia, stopped Shurretta Metcalf (14-5-1, 2 KOs) in the eighth round of a one-sided fight to unify the division and become the undisputed bantamweight champion. Metcalf took a lot of punishment and referee Charlie Fitch waved it off at 2 seconds of the eighth round with her still in the corner.
Chantelle Cameron (21-1, 8 KOs), 34, of England, routed Jessica Camara (14-5-1, 3 KOs), 37, of Canada, to retain the WBC interim title for the second time. She won 99-91, 99-91 and 98-92.
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Photos: Esther Lin/Most Valuable Promotions
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19,721 for a gate of 2.63 million great for women’s boxing
Judge Steve Weisfeld had Katie Taylor winning. That's always good enough for me. Amanda Serrano didn't seem to have any gameplan. And any in fight adjustments were non existent. Katie was comfortably in control the entire fight. Taylor closed the door on who was the better Boxer. Serrano was just so disappointingly rudimentary in contrast.