In New York, the long-awaited trilogy fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano concluded with Taylor securing a majority decision victory after 60 intense minutes and 30 hard-fought rounds. The event, marked by a historic all-women fight card at a sold-out Madison Square Garden with 19,721 fans, saw a more strategic and controlled performance from Taylor compared to their previous bouts. Taylor employed tactics like check hooks and footwork, winning with two judges scoring 97-93 and one judge calling it 95-95.
Taylor shared her game plan, emphasizing discipline and movement to keep Serrano at bay, a shift from their more aggressive earlier matches. Despite the quieter pace, the bout highlighted women’s boxing prominence, featuring 17 world titles across the event but not reaching the dramatic heights of earlier fights. Both fighters landed an equal number of punches this time, 70 each, with Taylor’s total punches landed across all three fights reaching 497.
Serrano indicated a tactical change, aiming to work smarter and keep her distance after failed aggressive attempts in their prior bouts. The first fight in their trilogy drew a global Netflix audience of 1.5 million viewers, and their second encounter became the most-watched women’s sporting event in US history with an average of 7.4 million viewers worldwide on Netflix. Serrano remarked on their success in proving women’s boxing can captivate audiences and sell big.
Though the rivalry ended with Taylor sweeping the trilogy, both fighters elevated women’s boxing on the world stage. The fight developed slowly at first, with pressure mounting from Serrano in the third round, but Taylor’s sharp countering and timing ultimately controlled the match. Serrano showed resilience but couldn’t replicate her earlier performances, finishing strong but unable to change the outcome.
Taylor, boasting a record of 25-1 with six knockouts, hinted at exploring new challenges or retirement, expressing reluctance to face Serrano again due to her powerful punches. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Alycia Baumgardner retained her undisputed super featherweight title by unanimous decision over Jennifer Miranda, in a tactical fight where Baumgardner aimed to land impactful right hands while Miranda countered effectively. Baumgardner, returning from a long break, hopes to regain her fighting rhythm soon.
Fan Take: This trilogy finale between Taylor and Serrano is a landmark moment that continues to elevate women’s boxing to new heights, drawing unprecedented attention and respect to the sport. For fight fans, it signifies a growing era where female fighters headline major events, proving their skills and marketability are on par with their male counterparts, paving the way for future generations.
