There have been blue skies and plenty of sunshine in New York this week but, as soon as you step outside, a cold bite in the air feels jolting. In a similar way all the lavish positivity surrounding Saturday night’s historic fight at Madison Square Garden will assume a chilling edge as the first bell rings. When Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano leave the safety of their corners, the serious danger of boxing at the very highest level will wipe away all the polite and admirable words they have shared.
Taylor is undefeated as a professional, having won all 20 of her fights, and she enters the ring as the undisputed world lightweight champion and the No 1 in the pound-for-pound rankings. Serrano, meanwhile, has lost only once in 44 bouts and that solitary defeat came 10 years ago this week when she was outpointed in Sweden by Frida Wallberg. The Puerto Rican has won world titles in seven different weight categories in a staggering statistic which also reveals the paucity of competition which has blighted women’s boxing until recently. But Serrano looks immensely hungry because she has not had the plaudits or purses Taylor has accumulated.
Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall will meet in another huge fight for women’s boxing this summer. But Taylor and Serrano are still acknowledged as the best two female fighters in the world. Unlike the younger middleweights, who can be feisty and spiteful towards each other, Taylor and Serrano are deeply respectful. That respect stems from a clear sense of the jeopardy surrounding this fight for both women.
For the first time in her lauded career Taylor is the marginal underdog – at least in America where there is a groundswell of opinion she will not be able to withstand Serrano’s speed and ferocity. Taylor has been far from her best in her two most recent bouts against the awkward Jennifer Han and the unheralded Firuza Sharipova. But she was affected by a calf injury and she was not especially motivated against limited opposition.
There is some logic in the tendency to think that Taylor is on the slide for she has had over 200 bouts as a dominant amateur and a celebrated professional. In the last two years she also shipped real punishment in gruelling victories over Delphine Persoon, twice, and Natasha Jonas. Taylor is 35 and even great fighters are in decline at such an age.
But she has been calm and purposeful all week and there is a gathering belief that Taylor could produce one more landmark performance when it matters most. Taylor normally loathes attention but she has embraced the build-up to this historic fight. She and Serrano are the first women to headline a promotion at the Garden and the first female fighters to make $1m each for a single bout. Taylor insists she is ready to produce something extraordinary.
Yet she will need to be extremely wary. Serrano is at her most dangerous in the first four rounds and, being two years younger than Taylor, seemingly the fresher fighter after so many easy pro contests. Taylor is the superior boxer but she is not the female answer to Willie Pep or Pernell Whitaker. She can’t resist standing and trading and to do that against Serrano, especially early on, would be hazardous. In her last fight, against Sharipova, Taylor left herself worryingly open. She will need far more discipline against Serrano.
At Thursday’s final press conference Jake Paul, who promotes Serrano, goaded Eddie Hearn. Paul seemed so confident Serrano will win he said: “I’ve got a bet for you, Eddie.”
“I’m not getting a tattoo,” quipped Hearn, who promotes Taylor.
Paul was willing to bet all his clanking jewellery on Serrano. Hearn made another joke about how he had hoped for something less cheap.
Paul responded with a demand they have a $500,000 bet and, while Hearn grinned and wavered, the YouTube star suddenly doubled the stakes to a million.
Hearn nodded and, after some provocation, finally swapped handshakes with Paul – who then promised he would give his million to Serrano when she wins.
Of course this is boxing and two schemers like Hearn and Paul could easily have cooked up the wheeze as a way of cranking up further interest.
Taylor smiled politely. As a staunch Christian she abhors gambling and turned down a huge sponsorship offer from a betting company. She also has more serious business on her mind.
Eighteen thousands fans will be crammed into a sold-out Garden, with at least a quarter of them having flown in from Ireland. The Puerto Rican contingent will be out in force but it’s likely that the Irish-American fight community in New York will tip the balance of support in Taylor’s favour. In a more equitable way, the Empire State Building a few blocks away will be lit up all Saturday night by both the Irish and Puerto Rican flags. It is a sign of how seriously New York, and all of boxing, is taking this potential battle for the ages.
Taylor v Serrano is available live and exclusive on DAZN
