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By: Sean Crose
It’s no exaggeration to say the biggest fight in women’s boxing history is going down tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano battle for the undisputed lightweight championship of the world. The reasons for this one being a match of note is obvious. The 35 year old Taylor and the 33 year old Serrano, are, simply put, masters of the fight game. The 20-0 Taylor is not only an Olympic Gold Medalist, she’s won world titles in two weight divisions. As for the 42-1-1 Serrano, she’s held world titles in 7, that’s 7, weight divisions. That kind of resume needs no explanation.
It probably bears no repeating that this is also the first women’s match to headline a card at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York. What’s more, this fight is generating genuine excitement among boxing’s fan base for good reason. For starters, no one is really sure who may step out of the ring victorious. What’s more, both fighters are clearly in their primes. Throw in the fact that the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF world titles currently in Taylor’s possession are on the line and the bout truly becomes noteworthy.
Defending champion Taylor is a former Irish Olympian with a high quality skill set who has worked her way through a few rough patches in order to maintain her perfect record. Her last fight was in December, when she decisioned Firuza Sharipova in ten. As for Serrano, the Brooklynite by way of Puerto Rico has won her last – wait for it – twenty eight fights. That’s close to thirty in a row. What’s more, Serrano’s one and only loss literally came over a decade ago. Her last fight was a unanimous decision win over Miriam Gutierrez in December. Like Taylor, she knows how to dig deep when the situation requires it.
Perhaps the most interesting thing heading into this weekend is that there’s elements to this bout which make it more than a simple athletic contest. There’s aren’t simply two women boxers headlining a card – they’re two Hall of Fame level women boxers headlining a card. What’s more, both women have plenty of passionate support. Serrano represents Puerto Rico while Taylor represents the Emerald Isle. Lastly, these two fighters act like pro’s. Yes, they’re serious craftsmen, but they’re also respectful of one another, as their recent appearance on the Today Show indicated. It was a segment some of these women’s male counterparts could learn from.
