By: Sean Crose
They say this fight will change the game, and if Amanda Serrano gets her way, it will be a game changer in more ways than one. Ahead of the highly-rated April 30 fight with Ireland’s Katie Taylor, Puerto Rico’s Serrano demanded a break from traditional rules for women’s boxing. “This is about equality,” Serrano told a press conference in London, “and we should make changes now. Katie, are you ready? Taylor, however, showed no desire to bite. “I don’t think it will make a huge difference to the event,” the undisputed lightweight champion replied. “It’s already as iconic as it is.”
Undoubtedly, the showdown between the undefeated Taylor 20-0 and Serrano 42-1-1 is quite important. For starters, this could be the biggest fight in women’s boxing history. It was also the first time women were titled for the Madison Square Garden Card. In the end, it has two dominant warriors fighting each other. Honestly, it’s the kind of match that fans always ask for, where the best fight the best. Sure, only Claressa Shields and perhaps Mikaela Mayer are as famous and highly regarded as Taylor and Serrano.
By demanding a change to the rules for the occasion, Serrano is looking to push even more boundaries. Women’s championships, unlike men’s, cannot last more than 10 two-minute halves. It’s been the source of much criticism lately, and Serrano is either trying to run after it as a critic of himself, or is looking to get into Taylor’s head before the fight. Or, perhaps most likely, both. “I think we’re making a point the way we’ve played against each other in the first place,” Taylor said. “The best fight is the best.”
Taylor’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, claimed that pre-sale tickets for the match sold at the second-highest rate in Madison Square Garden history. “Sounds like the stuff I’m going to make,” Hearn said BBC. “But you can check with Garden, it’s true.” Serrano promoter Jake Paul appeared at the press conference to praise his warrior. “Amanda was a great man,” he said, “one of the greatest warriors – male and female – ever.” On his head, Paul wears a red cap with the words “Make boxing great again”. Taylor and Serrano are definitely doing their part.
