Taylor-Serrano III set for July 11 at Madison Square Garden
The epic rivalry will continue at the same arena where they had their first famed fight and headline an all-female card on Netflix
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Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, future Hall of Famers, whose two hellacious slugfests are widely viewed among the greatest female fights of all time, will rumble in the expected trilogy fight, Most Valuable Promotions announced on Thursday.
Taylor, who is 2-0 against Serrano by the slimmest of margins, will defend the undisputed junior welterweight title in fight No. 3 in the main event of an all-women’s card on July 11 (Netflix) at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where they made history in their first fight in the first female main event at the famed arena.
“This is more than just a fight — it’s a celebration of the unmatched talent of women in boxing,” MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian said in a joint statement announcing the bout. “Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have already shattered barriers and inspired millions, and this trilogy fight at the iconic Madison Square Garden will be another historic step forward for women’s sports.
“This all-women’s card is not only a testament to how far the sport has come but also the beginning of an even greater push from MVP to elevate the next generation of female fighters.”
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Taylor-Serrano I took place on April 30, 2022 at 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.
The rematch was planned for May 2023, but Serrano, battling injuries, withdrew and Taylor, who did not want to lose the date, agreed to move up to junior welterweight and challenged undisputed champion Chantelle Cameron. It was Taylor’s long-awaited Ireland homecoming but she took her first loss by majority decision in a grueling battle. Six months later they had a rematch, also in Dublin, and Taylor won a majority decision to become a two-division undisputed champion.
Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs), 38, took a year off and returned for the rematch with Serrano, the unified featherweight champion, who moved up to junior welterweight to challenge her this past Nov. 15 in the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson co-feature before 72,300 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The women stole the show with yet another 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 with Netflix averaging 74 million viewers for the bout globally for the fight. It was the most-watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history and was the consensus women’s fight of the year.
“I want to thank everyone at Matchroom, MVP and Netflix for getting the trilogy over the line and I can't wait to headline at MSG again in July,” Taylor said. “I’m 2-0 against Amanda but it’s obviously a very special rivalry that delivers every time we step in the ring, so I think it’s only right that we have the trilogy. The atmosphere for the first fight there was amazing and I'm sure it won't be any different this time around.
“The numbers that got to see the last fight in November were incredible, so hopefully those people will all want to tune in for the trilogy fight as well and we can deliver another great fight.”
Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs), 36, a Puerto Rican southpaw, who fights out of Brooklyn, New York, is boxing’s only seven-division world champion and anxious for another shot at her biggest rival.
“I promised my fans they would see this trilogy, and I’m incredibly grateful that we get to complete our journey where it all began — at Madison Square Garden, live on Netflix, for the world to see,” Serrano said. “I’m disappointed that Katie Taylor did not keep her word and make the trilogy 12 three-minute rounds, equal to the men. This is a record-setting payday for both of us, and we owed it to the fans to honor the handshake deal we made. She didn’t. But make no mistake, every time we share the ring, it is war, and I know Friday, July 11, will be the greatest yet because I will finally get the official W I deserve.
“Headlining an all-female card at MSG, representing both New York and Puerto Rico, is something I never thought would be possible, and it wouldn’t be without Nakisa Bidarian, Jake Paul, and MVP’s commitment to elevating women’s boxing. I’m proud to stand alongside all the talented women on this card, and I hope our fight inspires young girls everywhere to keep believing in themselves and never stop chasing their dreams.”
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Photo: Esther Lin/Most Valuable Promotions
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Serrano has been robbed twice particularly in the first fight. On three occasions she had Katie out on her feet and Katie never in the fight was able to hurt or stop her offense. Additionally Serrano landed many more punches in both fights more than a hundred more punches in the second fight. Apparently the only way Serrano can beat Taylor is by knocking her out because of she doesn't she will be robbed of the decision. I have always liked Katie Taylor and admired her boxing but those have been two of the worst decisions I have ever seen in boxing and I have seen many.
It will be a great fight and I am with you Martin I hope they retire after this fight I think Katie will