It took two weeks to finalize, but it’s here. Undisputed lightweight titlist Katie Taylor and seven-division champion Amanda Serrano, two of the top pound-for-pound women on the planet, are officially set to duke it out at Madison Square Garden on April 30th.
And yes, it’s MSG proper, not Hulu Theater.
Taylor (20-0, 6 KO) was one of the most accomplished amateurs in recent memory, claiming five golds and a bronze at the world championships alongside her Olympic gold at London 2012. She’s been similarly dominant as a professional, claiming her first world title in her seventh pro fight and ultimately winning all four lightweight belts in 2019. She owns wins over the likes of Anahi Esther Sanchez, Jessica McCaskill, Victoria Noelia Bustos, Eva Wahlstrom, Delfine Persoon, and Natasha Jonas.
“This is a fight I’ve wanted for a long, long time and I’m just excited for it to finally take place because these are the kind of fights I’m in the sport for,” said Taylor. “People have been talking about this fight for years and there have been times I wondered if it was ever going to happen so I’m very grateful to Eddie Hearn, everyone at Matchroom, DAZN and Madison Square Garden for getting it over the line.
Serrano (42-1-1, 30 KO) won her first world title in 2011 and has more or less run amok around the lower weight classes since. This marks her second attempt at facing Taylor, as pandemic-related purse cuts prompted her to withdraw from a planned clash in 2020
“When I turned professional my goal was to be involved in huge events like this so to headline at Madison Square Garden in a fight of this magnitude is really the pinnacle of the sport. It’s such an iconic venue and has been home to so many of the historic moments in boxing and I truly believe this will be another one.”
“It is a dream come true to have the opportunity to headline Madison Square Garden and do so against one of the greatest boxers of all time in Katie Taylor,” said Serrano. “Since I was a young girl, my only boyfriend has been boxing. I have dedicated my life to him, and this event makes that commitment worth every minute. On April 30th I am going to make history for me, for my team, for my family, for Puerto Rico, for every Latina and Latino and for all women worldwide.”
Beyond the hardware, this figures to be an extremely compelling matchup between a supreme technician and a uniquely destructive finisher. No official word on the undercard yet, but I’d put money on Franchon Crews-Dezurn vs. Elin Cederroos tagging along.