For decades, women had to hide on the balconies of buildings in New York to practice boxing, after all, the noble art was forbidden to women. This Saturday, Ireland’s Katie Taylor and American Amanda Serrano are champions in the greatest women’s boxing match ever. The stage will be the legendary gymnasium at Madison Square Garden, described as the “Mecca of Boxing”.
20,000 tickets for sale were consumed by fans within a few hours. Half of them are expected to be from the UK, where Katie Taylor is Ireland’s national idol. The other portion of tickets went to New Yorkers, mostly of Puerto Rican descent, as well as Amanda Serrano.
Taylor, 35, was an Olympic champion in 2012 and won 16 more gold medals at world and European competitions. He became a pro in 2016 and won the four major belts (CMB, OMB, AMB and FIB) in the lightweight category. With a height of 1.65 meters and 1.68 in her wingspan, the Irish have achieved 20 victories, with six times by knockout. She possesses a very quick style, full of sequence, and plenty of breath, but without much strength in her fists.
Serrano, 33, is 1.66 meters tall and the same height, has 42 wins (30 knockouts), one draw and one defeat, she suffered in 2012. She has collected world titles in seven categories and is left-handed, which could be the assets for Taylor, the right-handed boxer.
Boxer styles make the contest very attractive. Taylor likes to beat her opponents and hit punches within two minutes of each round. It is a “machine” that releases hooks, hooks and uppers. Serrano prefers to fight at medium and long distances. He moves well to the sides and is very good at counter-attacks.
Regardless of the outcome, women’s boxing is the biggest winner even before the first bell rings. Taylor vs. Serrano has more space in the international media than the duel between champion Oscar Valdez, of Mexico, and Shakur Stevenson, of the United States, who is fighting in Las Vegas, around the same time, for the super featherweight belt.
“It would have been a terrible shame if this fight hadn’t happened. I hoped it wasn’t one of those Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao fights that ended up years later than it should have happened. It’s great that it really does happen,” said Katie Taylor. When we are at the peak.
Cyrano even predicted what might happen in the ring and highlighted his ability and that of his opponent. “You will definitely see two of the best talent out there. What you will see is heart, glory, a lot of punch. A real night of boxing – not just women’s boxing. It’s going to be a great night of boxing.”
