Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano competed in a battle for skill, skill and wit in the sold-out Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, in a match that brought results and an event that went beyond the usual boxing match.
In a historic duel of flashing fists to determine the best fighter in the world, Taylor emerged victorious by split decision to retain all of his lightweight titles and belt from The Ring Magazine.
There will probably be a rematch in Ireland after the split decision, and also because of the nature of an exciting race in which none of the main characters – the undefeated Taylor or the seven-division champion Serrano – took a step back.
Indeed, for the last two minutes, the entire audience was on their feet as the two fighters threw their hands with fierce intensity that opposed the faith.
The competition fulfilled everything that was promised between the boxers № 1 and № 2 on the planet.
“Absolutely. We have to do this again,” said the triumphant Taylor.
The split judges marked the 96-94 race for Serrano, with Taylor winning with the points of the other two judges, 97-93 and 96-93.
The race was tight, but Taylor’s skills, movement, and quick hands gave her the upper hand. But Serrano continued to hunt, never being afraid, and made his mark really in the heel, injuring the champion in a fiery round in which the Irish star was caught on the ropes and stopped by the brilliant Puerto Rican.
Somehow Taylor clung to that stanza and staggered back to the corner, bloodied and confused, as he was drawn into a finger-to-finger battle — at that moment — under the terms of left-handed Serrano.
Serrano kept pushing and in the middle of the match he matched Taylor’s shot, making him a razor-sharp race in the last two rounds.
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