The rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano was just as tough and bloody as their first fight.
The decision was disputed again, and the reaction from the crowd was similar to the last time they fought.
Taylor kept her super lightweight championship with a close unanimous decision victory over Serrano on Friday night in a fight that was very similar to their legendary match in New York two years ago.
All three judges scored the fight 95-94 in Taylor’s favor, which caused the crowd at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium to boo before the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson co-main event.
The 38-year-old Taylor from Ireland remained the undisputed champion in both the super lightweight and lightweight divisions. This win was her third victory since suffering her first professional loss (her record is now 24-1 with six knockouts).
Serrano, who kept fighting hard despite a severe cut above her left eye in the sixth round, was the crowd’s favorite, just like she was during the split decision loss in New York in 2022.
In that fight, they made history as the first women to headline a combat sports event at Madison Square Garden. The 36-year-old Serrano, a seven-division champion, now has a record of 47-3-1 with 31 knockouts.
The rematch might have started slower than their previous fight, but things changed when Serrano, who is from Puerto Rico but lives in New York, got a nasty cut.
The referee stopped the fight for a moment during the sixth round to check the injury, and close-up shots of the wound shocked the crowd. This was the first combat sports event streamed live by Netflix.
Despite the injury, Serrano kept punching and even seemed to hurt Taylor near the end of the fight. In the final seconds, Taylor leaned on Serrano, struggling to stay upright. Taylor had already been penalized a point for head-butting in the eighth round.
This was Taylor’s first fight since she avenged her only loss by defeating Chantelle Cameron for the undisputed super lightweight title in a rematch in her home country a year ago.
The first Taylor-Serrano fight in New York had been more of a celebration of women’s boxing, even though the result was questioned. This time, Serrano seemed more frustrated, complaining about head-butts and holding as the fight went on.
After the sixth round, Serrano was in trouble. The ring doctor asked if she could continue after the cut was treated, and she said yes. She didn’t seem to slow down much after that.
The two fighters exchanged punches throughout the fight, especially in the final round, knowing the judges’ decision would be close.
