Katie Taylor retained her undisputed lightweight title with a split-decision win against Amanda Serrano on Saturday night, edging a thrilling contest at Madison Square Garden. The pair were the first female fighters to headline at the iconic New York City venue, and their title fight in front of a sold-out crowd lived up to the billing of being the biggest bout in the history of women’s boxing.
Taylor started as the sharper fighter amid a raucous atmosphere, managing her range well and catching her Puerto Rican opponent with several well-timed counter left hooks. Serrano maintained her gameplan of walking down Taylor, however, and in the second round the unified featherweight champion began to find homes for stinging left straights from her southpaw stance. The most dramatic frame of the fight was the fifth, with the women wildly trading punches in the corner as Serrano’s shots began to take greater effect. The 33-year-old and Taylor moved into the centre of the ring, where Serrano’s power and variety of punches had the defending champion in trouble – almost out on her feet.
