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By: Sean Crose
Their first two bouts were awarded “Fight of the Year” by Boxing Insider in 2022 and 2024 respectively. Now Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor are going to square off for the third time. Indeed, the rubber match will go down July 11th at Madison Square Garden. The bout will be streamed live on Netflix. It will be interesting to see how much each fighter has left in her after the first two wars. Sure enough, there were moments in the rematch that were reminiscent of the first round of the epic Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns fight of 1985. Both the 24-1 Taylor and the 47-3-1 Serrano have put to bed once and for all the notion that women cannot engage in high stakes ring combat as well as men can.
Again, though, what do these fighters have left? Taylor won the first fight. Serrano won the rematch. It only makes sense that the two warriors should meet again. Both women, however, are now closer to forty than they are to thirty. That isn’t to say they won’t perform to the best of their abilities, but it’s worth remembering these are high level and high octane fighters. Some fighters can defy age, but these two have given everything they’ve had in the ring twice. Imagine Hagler and Hears battling not only twice, but three times.
Should each woman be at her best, however, there’s little doubt fans can look forward to a war. Neither fighter knows how to back down. It’s blood and guts all the way with these two fighters. Each faces adversity with a Pattonesque flair, which is what makes their battles so entertaining. There are those who use their talents to the best of their abilities and then there are those who actually try to stretch beyond their abilities in an attempt to reach the sublime. So it is with Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
It’s only fitting that this third match go down in Madison Square Garden, home of the first Taylor-Serrano bout. For starters, New York City has huge Irish and Puerto Rican populations. What’s more, MSG is the most legendary boxing host in the world. It only makes sense at this point that Taylor and Serrano get back to the place where it all started. Here’s hoping for fireworks and for no one sustaining serious damage this July 11th in New York.
“I’m coming to do what I always do give it my all,” Serrano stated on social media Thursday. “Hopefully the Judges get it right although I have other intentions this time!”
Of course, Taylor may have something to say about that.
