Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are well acquainted with one another. In two fights, they have earned Fight of the Year recognition, winning the award in 2022. After crafting their own legacies, the two are intertwined as the perfect dance partners.
Taylor, from Ireland, and Serrano, the Puerto Rican from New York, compete in what could be a trilogy fight for the ages on July 11. They return to Madison Square Garden, where the first fight was, this time for Taylor’s status as the undisputed super lightweight champion.
Just how familiar are these two with one another?
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Taylor and Serrano have competed in twenty rounds against one another. That’s over 40 minutes of action. They have also landed over 800 strikes in two fights. They’ve gotten a few stitches and earned enough ovations to last a lifetime.
Both fights featured plenty of action. Both were close in scoring, with one result somewhat controversial.
The Sporting News reflects on the first two Taylor-Serrano fights. Was the right decision made in both contests? Was there controversy in either fight?
What happened in the first Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano fight?
Taylor’s status as the undisputed lightweight champion was on the line in this one. From the opening bell to when they landed flurries until the closing bell, Taylor and Serrano would not stay off of one another, attacking from all angles.
Taylor used her brilliant defense early to avoid big blows from the powerful Serrano. Each round, the crowd of 19,000+ in MSG would get louder. At one point, the fighters and referee couldn’t even hear the ring bell.
Serrano kicked things up a notch in round five. She landed 44 strikes, which that might have sealed things if the fight had three-minute rounds. Serrano continued to punish Taylor in round six. However, like her first fight against Delfine Persoon in the same building, Taylor persevered.
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Serrano tired out as the fight went on, and Taylor took advantage. There were a few headbutts, but nothing that affected the fight. More on that later.
The tenth round saw both women land vicious shots in the clinch. In the final ten seconds, Taylor almost went down to one knee. Instead, Taylor and Serrano exchanged heavy blows, proving a point to the world.
The first Taylor vs. Serrano fight was an instant 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜 🎬#PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/WinKyODPWE
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 15, 2024
Per CompuBox, Taylor landed 147 of 375 shots (39.2%), while Serrano landed 173 of 624 (27.7%). The shots landed against one another were the most by an opponent at the time.
Taylor won via split decision (94-96, 97-93, 96-93). The Sporting News scored it 96-94 in favor of Taylor.
What happened in the second Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano fight?
On a card that featured Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 was the People’s Main Event. They had a lot to live up to following the first fight.
The two delivered, and then some. Unfortunately, the fight was marred by controversy.
Serrano looked sharp early on, continuing where she left off by landing crisp blows on Taylor’s face. At certain points, it became obvious that three-minute rounds would have once again secured Serrano the win.
Taylor pushed back and held onto Serrano several times. She did fire some shots that hurt Serrano. Through the fight, Taylor played it close to the vest, resulting in a few headbutts. After a certain point, there was a nasty cut above Serrano’s eye that affected her vision. Still, the fight went on.
A turning point in the eighth round was when the referee deducted a point from Taylor for the headbutts. Depending on how you scored it, it could have been a 10-8 Serrano round.
A true warrior, fighter, and trailblazer of the sport. We are always proud of you @serranosisters and the heart you show. A TRUE CHAMPION pic.twitter.com/pr22SsGgXV
— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) November 16, 2024
An incensed Serrano landed brutal uppercuts from that round until the final bell. Taylor was no slouch either, and after being deducted a point, she went on the attack. Both received another standing ovation as over 50 million people watched the fight.
This time, Taylor won via unanimous decision (95-94, 95-94, 95-94). The Sporting News scored it 97-92 in favor of Serrano.
Per CompuBox, Serrano landed 324 of 734 shots (44.1%) while Taylor landed 217 of 529 shots (41%). Not only did she land 107 more shots than Taylor, but Serrano also landed 50+ shots twice and 73 in the final round.
Still, the judges did not see it in favor of Serrano, and those at AT&T Stadium and watching at home expressed their disapproval of the result.
Was the decision the wrong one, or was it blown out of proportion?
Regardless, Serrano attempts to right what she believes to be a wrong in the third fight.
