‘I don’t think the world has ever seen me at my best’ – Katie Taylor saving her best for Serrano?
Katie Taylor hopes to finally show her full capabilities and produce her best when she fights Amanda Serrano in Madison Square Garden on April 30.
The Irish sporting great has changed the face of women’s sport, proved a pro boxing trailblazer, become Ireland’s first-ever undisputed world champion, climbed to the top of the pound for pound rankings, and secured a status as the greatest female fighter of all time – and believes she has done so without ever hitting top form.
The decorated Bray lightweight suggests she has only shown 80% of what she is capable of to date – and hopes the best version of herself turns up for the biggest fight in women boxing’s history.
“I don’t think the world has ever seen me at my best. I’m preparing to be the best version of myself, and I don’t think I’ll have to do anything to re-invent myself. I’ll go in there being myself and box the way I know I can box,” Taylor told Ring TV.
“We’re both preparing for the best versions of ourselves. I think my best is still out there. I’m not too sure what the best version of me has been. I have had a couple of really good performances, but people haven’t seen the best of me yet,” adds before revealing the performances she was most content with.
“I would say people have seen about 70- or 80-percent of the best of me. The closest I think I came to being my best came in the rematch against [Delfine] Persoon. That rematch was a great showcase, and I was very satisfied after that fight, too.
“I would put in there the Christina Linardatou fight, too. But the Persoon rematch was the fight I came away from the most satisfied about. I guess you can say that was close to my best.”
To defeat Serrano who is unbeaten in a decade and has won nine world titles across seven weights, may just have to produce a new career best display, something she seems aware of.
“Amanda is a great challenge,” Taylor said. “I know she’s a heavy puncher and she’s a solid all-around fighter. But she doesn’t have anything I haven’t seen before. I’m looking for a great challenge and a great fight. I’m not concerned what she’s thinking. It would be a huge mistake to underestimate any opponent in a fight of this magnitude.”
