By: Sean Crose
It’s no exaggeration to say the biggest bout in women’s boxing history will take place tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano vie for the undisputed lightweight world championship. The reason for this being a remarkable match is obvious. 35-year-old Taylor and 33-year-old Serrano are, to put it simply, masters of the fighting game. Taylor 20-0 isn’t just an Olympic Gold Medalist, she’s won world titles in two weight classes. As for Serrano 42-1-1, she won the world championship in 7, i.e. 7, weight class. It’s the kind of resume that needs no explanation.
It probably goes without saying that this was also the first women’s game to be played at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York. Furthermore, this fight is creating real excitement in the boxing fanbase for good reason. For starters, no one is really sure who can come out of the winning ring. Furthermore, both fighters are clearly in their prime. The fact that the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF world titles are now in Taylor’s possession are all over the net and the match is truly remarkable.
Defending champion Taylor is an Irish former Olympic athlete with a high-quality skill set who has worked through several tough patches to maintain his impeccable record. Her last match was in December, when she knocked out Firuza Sharipova in tenth place. As for Serrano, Puerto Rico’s Brooklynite team took her final win of – wait for it – 28 games. That’s almost thirty in a row. Furthermore, Serrano’s only loss occurred more than a decade ago. Her last game was a decisive unanimous victory over Miriam Gutierrez in December. Like Taylor, she knows how to dig deep when circumstances call for it.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about this weekend is that this showdown has elements that make it more than just a sports competition. Not simply two female boxers tagging a card – they are two Hall of Fame-level female fighters heading a card. Moreover, both women have a lot of enthusiastic support. Serrano represents Puerto Rico while Taylor represents the Emerald Isle. In the end, these two boxers act like pros. Yes, they are serious craftsmen, but they also respect each other, given their recent appearance on the internet. Today Show shown. It’s a passage from which some of this woman’s male colleagues can learn.
