‘We created history': Katie Taylor savors long-sought closure in Serrano trilogy

The Guardian

2 days ago

Katie Taylor said she was 'very satisfied' after outboxing Amanda Serrano over 10 tactical rounds on Friday night to complete a clean sweep in one of boxing's most storied rivalries and to finally put to rest any lingering questions over who was superior.
'I think I made the fight a lot easier for myself tonight,' Taylor said. 'I knew I was capable of that kind of performance. In the first two fights I just got caught up in a bit of a war with her. This time, the gameplan was to constantly move and not let her feet set and I was able to do that. It was a very smart, clever performance. That's what I'm most proud of.'
The Bray fighter's majority-decision win – scored 97–93, 97–93 and 95–95 – capped a triumphant return to Madison Square Garden, where the pair first made history in 2022 as the first women to headline the venue. This time, they topped an all-female card, a milestone Taylor described as 'an absolute privilege'.
'These are the sort of opportunities people didn't think were even possible a few years ago,' she said. 'The atmosphere was absolutely electric again tonight. I didn't think it could get any louder than the first time we were here, but tonight it was just unbelievable. I'm very, very proud to have headlined such an important event for women's sports.'
Eddie Hearn, Taylor's longtime promoter seated beside her early Saturday morning, called the performance 'lights out' and suggested the win had banished any talk of retirement. 'When you think someone might be coming to the end of their career, she just rolls back the years,' he said. 'It was a performance of skill, speed, boxing IQ. I think she's got 20 or 30 rounds left in her, easy.'
Still, the 39-year-old Taylor declined to commit to what comes next. 'I'm just going to enjoy this victory, sit back and reflect,' she said. 'But I felt fresh in there. I felt sharp. I was seeing the punches coming, using the ring better. I definitely felt like it was my kind of fight, my kind of pace.'
Asked if the performance might redefine expectations at this stage in her career, Taylor smiled. 'I hope so. That's always the plan: to box smart,' she said. 'But sometimes I just end up in a war. This time I actually listened to Ross [Enamait] in the corner. I'm just glad I was able to execute what we'd worked on for months.'
The trilogy with Serrano ends 3–0 in Taylor's direction, though the first two bouts were close enough to inspire heated debate and fuel a narrative arc stretching over more than two years. Friday's clean, conclusive win, Taylor said, was gratifying not just for the record books but for the history the pair have created together.
'I don't think anybody could have said Amanda won tonight's fight,' Taylor said. 'So yeah, it is very, very satisfying. I think we both sit back very proud right now. We created history together three times. My name will always be embedded with hers forever.'
Pressed about a possible third fight with Chantelle Cameron, who won on Friday's card and remains the only fighter to have beaten Taylor as a professional (before she reversed the result in an immediate rematch), the Irish star didn't mince words. 'Maybe,' she said. 'But I think Chantelle has to see if she can sell out a thousand-seater venue. I don't think she can sell out any stadium at all. I made her more money than she really deserves, to be quite honest.'
Taylor also paid tribute to the traveling Irish supporters who once again turned out in force at the Garden. 'These people are spending their hard-earned money to come support me,' she said. 'It just means the world. Looking back on the whole journey, what an amazing life this is: headlining a sold-out Madison Square Garden on an all-female card. These are nights I dreamed of as a kid.'
While she conceded feeling a 'bit of pressure' heading into the Friday's fight, which took place at a catch-weight of 136lb, Taylor said her experience in high-stakes contests helped keep her composed. 'Every single fight I've been involved in these last few years has been a huge event,' she said. 'There's always relief when your hand is raised, but also just complete joy. It's such a grueling sport, so when the hard work pays off, it's a great feeling.'
The fight's lone 95–95 scorecard raised some eyebrows, including Taylor's. 'I was definitely surprised to hear that,' she said. 'But it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, my hand was raised. And that's all I care about.'