Katie Taylor secured a definitive end to her historic trilogy with Amanda Serrano, retaining her undisputed super lightweight championship with a majority decision victory in New York. The bout, held at a sold-out Madison Square Garden, was a stark contrast to their previous two encounters, showcasing a more tactical and strategic fight from both athletes.
Before an energetic crowd of 19,721, which generated a $2.63 million gate, two judges scored the contest 97-93 for Taylor, while the third saw it as a 95-95 draw. The event, streamed live on Netflix, headlined a landmark all-women’s fight card that featured 17 world titles.
Unlike their prior action-packed bouts, this final chapter was a calculated chess match. Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs) effectively employed a check hook and well-timed flurries, using her footwork to control the distance and prevent Serrano from setting up her power shots.
“I was obviously planning to come in here and fight a disciplined match,” Taylor said. “I was planning to do it the first two times as well, but it didn’t work out like that. Thankfully I was able to execute my game plan very well.”
Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) adopted a different strategy, aiming to work from the outside, but her reduced offensive output ultimately cost her the fight. “We tried something different,” she explained. “It was all about working smarter, not harder… I guess it just wasn’t enough.”
The tactical nature of the fight was reflected in the punch statistics, with both fighters landing just 70 punches each—a steep decline from their combined totals in the first two fights.
With the 3-0 series sweep, Taylor closes the book on what has been the most significant rivalry in modern women’s boxing. The trilogy has been credited with dramatically elevating the sport’s profile. “We proved the women can fight, we can sell, and we look good doing it,” Serrano commented, despite the loss.
When asked about her future, Taylor expressed a desire to move on. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I just don’t want to fight Amanda Serrano again,” she said. “She punches too hard.”
In the co-main event, Alycia Baumgardner (16-1, 1 NC) defended her undisputed super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Jennifer Miranda (12-1). Baumgardner overcame a cautious start to secure the victory with scores of 98-92, 98-92, and 97-93. After a long layoff, she noted feeling “rusty” and expressed a desire for a quick return to the ring.
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