Carl Frampton fears Amanda Serrano could be the end for Katie Taylor
Carl Frampton worries Amanda Serrano [42(30)-1(0)-1] may prove a step too far for fellow Irish fight great Katie Taylor [20(6)-0].
‘The Jackal’ believes age has caught up with his former sparring partner to some degree, which in turn gives the talented Puerto Rican hope of emerging victorious from the ‘biggest female fight of all time’.
The former two-weight world champion isn’t backing the Jack Paul-mentored puncher to beat the Irish icon and he certainly doesn’t want her to – but he is concerned she is in with a chance.
The Belfast legend points to 35-year-old Taylor’s long career in the sport at the highest level, her recent below-par performances, and worries that Saturday night in New York might just be a step too far.
“This is a really tough fight and it’s one I’d love to be at. It’s a bit mad how Amanda Serrano’s career has gone with the weights. Usually, when you start at a certain weight you continue to go up, but she has moved up then down, back up and down again. It’s incredible how she’s done that, yet still compete at a very high level,” Frampton said in his always eagerly anticipated Sunday Life column.
“She is legitimately top-class, so it makes this fight tough to call. Katie has not been performing to the same level over the past year or so and it just shows that age catches up on us all.
“Katie has had a long career and trains religiously hard in long training camps, and had a tough amateur career, so it doesn’t surprise me she has slowed down a little.
“Still, she’s a quality fighter but whether there’s enough left to beat Serrano, I just don’t know — but I hope there is.”
Carl Frampton on sparring Katie Taylor.
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 29, 2019
“She was probably a better boxer than me, she battered me a couple of times”
This Saturday, she bids to become the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. @RealCFrampton knows what it’s all about 👇 pic.twitter.com/GprDnnGCaT
Frampton points to the size of the event as proof of how far women’s boxing has come in recent years – and suggests Taylor has blazed a trail that will eventually allow her to make history on Saturday night.
“It’s a massive event for female boxing and the first time a women’s fight has topped the bill at the big room in Madison Square Garden, so it just shows the stature of both Katie and Serrano and how big this fight is for boxing in general as the winner is going to be legitimately the No.1 pound-for-pound in female boxing.
“All events with Katie Taylor are massive as she’s a huge global star at the forefront of where female boxing is right now. She has been the flag-bearer and the one that has put it in the position that it is now in.
“The girls who have come behind have done amazingly well, but Katie is the one and deserves all of the credit she gets.”
