No way out – Katie Taylor says fight has been pushed on Amanda Serrano
Katie Taylor [20(6)-0] doesn’t expect Amanda Serrano [41(30)-1-1] to pull out again.
The Irish sporting legend suggests the seven-weight world champion has been backed into a corner and is confident the pair will fight in the spring of next year.
The Irish undisputed lightweight champion and the New York seven-weight world titlist have long been linked with an ongoing saga stretching back three years. At times the likelihood of the match-up actually happening has seemed remote but it now seems a cert for New York and April.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn revealed positive talks have taken place and has suggested confirmation could quickly if the Jake Paul aligned fighter defeats Miriam Gutteriez in Miami this weekend.
However, considering the 33-year-old had appeared set to fight Taylor in Manchester in May of last year before the pandemic intervened but wouldn’t re-fix the bout for Fight Camp, some still have concerns ‘the greatest female fight of all time’ may not happen.
Taylor isn’t one of those with apprehension. Speaking after her twentieth career win in Liverpool last weekend she said,
“I think it is definitely going to happen this time and the fact she is fighting one of my old opponents next week as well I think that is going to be an interesting fight to watch,” Taylor said.
“This is a fight is pushed on her. This fight (against me) is going to happen. I would have no worries or concerns about that.”
Like Eddie Hearn, Taylor believes it’s a genuine 50-50 clash and a meeting of two confident talents.
“This fight is a genuine 50/50 fight. She is coming in believing she is going to win one hundred percent and so am I. This is what makes the best fights in boxing. She genuinely believing she is going to win the fight and she is obviously very experienced. She is a very exciting and she has a huge knock out ratio and is one of the most known female fighters in the world. Over the years since I started the professional game this fight has been talked about. It has been building for a few years now.”
According to Eddie Hearn the fight, if as expected is made, will take place in Madison Square Garden in New York.
The Matchroom boss, who has admitted Serrano has agreed her value in terms of the clash, says ‘the greatest female fight of all time’ will be an MSG main event and will be in ‘the big room’.
“This is genuinely more than I ever dream for me to have a chance to headline in MSG the most iconic venue in boxing, the mecca of boxing,” Taylor comments.
“This is huge and possibly against Amanda Serrano the biggest fight in women’s boxing right now. This is exactly why I took involved in professional boxing for to be facing opponents like this and on big stage like this (MSG). It is very exciting.
“It is going to be incredible. I remember against Eva Wahlstrom and hearing the Ole, Ole, Ole around the stadium is was incredible. So I can’t imagine what is going to be like if I am headlining it.”
Speaking on why he will opt away from the 5600 capacity Hulu Theatre in favour of 20,000 plus main Garden, Hearn said: “I know we take the mickey out of Jake Paul sometimes but genuinely he is going to bring a lot of attention to the fight as well. He has done a great job for Amanda Serrano. He has really increased her value for this fight. She has boxed now on Showtime event – co-main event, big audiences on pay-per-view which we want. We want the fight to be as big as possible and I think we would be doing ourselves a little bit of an injustice by just doing 4,000. We don’t know how big it could be – could be just do the lower tier of 9,000 or 10,000 – incredible achievement. But could be just do the whole thing. But if we just do 4000 we know we are going to sell that out. So I would like to see how big it can grow too.”
