Katie Taylor questions Amanda Serrano’s heart

WBA-IBF-WBO lightweight champion Katie Taylor [13(6)-0] is concerned that she may miss out on one of the big fights on her 2019 roadmap.

The unified 135lbs ring queen has questioned the heart of the Amanda Serrano [36(27)-1(0)-1] and wonders if her controversial and outspoken rival really wants to share the ring with her

The much-publicised Taylor plan has a mega fight with the Puerto Rican penciled in for the Autumn – set to be the first female-headlined DAZN card, potentially at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

If the Wicklow fighter managed to claim a fourth lightweight world title and become undisputed champion by beating WBC champ Delfine Persoon in New York on June 1st – a fight that looks set to be confirmed in the coming weeks – a clash with Serrano is said to be waiting.

Power puncher Serrano was initially vocal about fighting the Matchroom boxer, but did at one stage last year retire from the sport to go into the more financially-lucrative mixed martial arts world – only to be unsurprisingly enticed back by the lure of Katie Taylor money.

The 30-year-old southpaw signed a three-fight deal with DAZN and it was understood that a Taylor fight is to be the final part of the contract.

Serrano has since fought under the DAZN banner and collected a world title in a record-breaking seventh weight, beating Eva Voraberger to add the WBO super flyweight flyweight title to her collection.

There is talk of trying to unify titles at featherweight, Serrano’s supposed ‘natural weight’, but it’s still widely expected that the Taylor fight will happen this year, although the Irishwoman seems to have some doubts.

“I have to take her word for it. She says she wants to fight so I hope she does step up and actually take the fight. That’s the fight that everyone wants to see,” Taylor told IFL TV not long after she defeated Rose Volante in Philadelphia on Friday night.

The grounds for the Brian Peters-managed 32-year-old’s concerns? She worries about Serrano’s heart.

In an unusual approach by the normally quiet Taylor she suggested the
super flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight, featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight and light welterweight picks and chooses her challenges carefully.

Indeed, five of Serrano’s seven belts have been vacant WBO titles – with the Puerto Rico-based organisation, who don’t even publish women’s rankings, seeming to be very fond of the Puerto Rican fighter.

The Bray fighter is so legacy keen that she wants to fight and beat the best but seems to indicate the younger sister of Cindy Serrano, who Taylor has already beaten, has found a different way to boost her legacy claims.

“Sometimes I question Amanda Serrano’s heart. She definitely does pick and chose her fights very well. I don’t really think she want’s to fight personally, but she has said she wants it and I hope she sticks to her word,” added Taylor who has previously described the Brooklynite as ‘mentally fragile’.

Regardless of her thoughts on the weight-jumping Caribbean, Taylor still believes it’s an appealing fight and is one she wants as well as a meeting she believes the fans want to see.

Undisputed light welterweight champion Cecilia Brækhus is also on the wish list, but Taylor points out that is one for down the line.

“If I do become undisputed champion that would be a huge fight. Two undisputed champions against each other, but I think that fight is the end of this year is it is going to happen.”

“First and foremost it’s Delfine Persoon and then ideally Amanda Serrano and if Cecila is there by the end of the year that would be perfect.”