Ireland’s Katie Taylor once dreamed she could help start women’s boxing after a major event – such as her Saturday night clash with seven-division champion Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden.
Serrano, a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn, spent many years watching the same hope perish, no matter how many titles she won or how many enemies she mercilessly whipped up.
Their fight, the first women’s main event ever at the sacred boxing field where Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier I spared more than 50 years ago, comes at a rare moment when boxing acts like a mainstream sport and shifts its side-show antics aside.
An electrified event of 94,000 attended heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s Saturday title defense in England. Undefeated welterweight champions, Errol Spence jr. and Terence Crawford, are as close to entering into an agreement to fight as they have ever been. And the sport has now fully embraced major women’s competitions.
“Boxing is alive and well,” said U.S. Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson. “A lot of people were trying to act like boxing was dying. No, it’s evolved … This is the best time.”
The sport also set aside its routine (and small) quarrel between promoter-broadcasters by entering into an agreement to have two big fights this weekend in a row rather than simultaneously. Taylor vs. Serrano will start at 22:15 ET on DAZN ahead of the men’s super featherweight WBC / WBO unit match between Stevenson and Oscar Valdez at 23:15 ET on ESPN.
“I’m a big fan of Amanda Serrano,” Stevenson said. “I knew her as a kid when I went to Gleason’s Gym (in Brooklyn) to wrestle and I saw her all the time. I rock with her to win, but I support them both.
“And I’m glad the world can watch their battle and then come watch our battle.”
Stevenson, who fought alongside two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time champion Claressa Shields, said he had long admired the zeal shown by female fighters, despite the foregoing minimal pay and limited attention.
Larger than box
Matchroom Sports promoter Eddie Hearn and YouTube star who became Serrano promoter, Jake Paul, combined to help with the extra hype for Taylor-Serrano, a match that will surely be entertaining.
Taylor, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, is gentle but an ardent fighter. She is 20-0 with six knockouts, elevating to undisputed lightweight champion.
Serrano (42-1-1, 12 KOs) is a relentless and precise puncher who stands as a -150 favorite to win at Tipico Sportsbook. Taylor is a minor +110 underdog.
Taylor, attracted to the ring by her boxer father and brothers, is the antithesis of her mature compatriot, former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
Taylor first encouraged Hearn years ago to promote her and women’s boxing, and the promoter predicts that the quality of this weekend’s match will be a starting point for improving recognition of female champions. These include Shields and American world champions such as Jessica McCaskill, Mikaela Mayer, Seniesa Estrada and Marlen Esparza.
“She’s a real fighter. People look at her and see she’s so quiet, so gentle, yet she’s one of the fiercest fighters I’ve ever worked with,” Hearn said. “It’s very difficult to be invested in a personality like Katie Taylor because she’s quite closed, shy … She turned down millions of dollars in sponsorships, media appearances because it was not for her.
“Yet, at the same time, in a world where fighters throw millions of dollars into strip clubs, people find Katie Taylor incredibly refreshing – that she’s a wonderful individual and a true fighter. People fall in love with the way she fights.”
Taylor raised eyebrows during an appearance on NBC’s Today Show, revealing her idea of championship preparation.
“You have to beat your body to submission every week. That’s what you have to do. (Box’s) in my blood,” Taylor said. “I walked into a gym and it became my passion.”
Serrano played her case.
“To be in this iconic event, to name Madison Square Garden, and that it’s almost sold out – and people say there’s no interest in women’s boxing,” Serrano said. “I am of Puerto Rican descent and trying to become the first undisputed champion of Puerto Rico.
“She has something I want.”
The Empire State Building has announced that it will alternate the colors of Ireland and Puerto Rico on Saturday.
“You can almost feel these iconic moments from the past when you are there. There are going to be a lot of Irish fans in the building,” Taylor said. “It will create a wonderful atmosphere.
“Years and years later of this fight, people are still going to talk about Katie Taylor against Amanda Serrano.”
Weekend Opportunity Outline
At BetMGM, a Taylor win with KO / TKO pays +800 and Serrano wins with KO / TKO is at +300. When it comes to the scorecards, Serrano is +160 to win on points and Taylor is +175 on points. A draw will pay +1400.
The choice: Taylor to win by split decision (+175).
As for Stevenson-Valdez, Stevenson counts his speed and cleverness around the tough and unbeaten two-division champion of Mexico who, along with pound-for-pound no. 1 Canelo Alvarez practicing in San Diego, frustrating.
“I see myself as a top fighter in the sport. I may soon be a pay-per-view superstar,” said Stevenson, 24. “I have a lot of speed and skill, but he has a lot of willpower. He’s going to try his best. I have to prepare, if I have to, to withstand the storm.”
Stevenson wonders how Valdez fell from an impressive knockout blow to former champion Miguel Berchelt 14 months ago after a less-than-stellar performance against Robson Conceicao after testing positive for a banned substance that Valdez said he accidentally ingested have by drinking tea.
“He was caught immediately cheating and he looked like a whole new fighter,” Stevenson said. “Maybe he was on to something.
At Tipico Sportsbook, Stevenson is a -340 favorite and Valdez is a +220 underdog. The total for laps is 10.5, with the ear as a -340 favorite and the bottom on +225.
At BetMGM, Stevenson is +200 to win with KO / TKO and -150 to win by decision. Valdez is +1400 to win on points, +700 to win with KO / TKO.
The choice: Stevenson wins by unanimous decision (-150).
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