Love not Hate? Should Katie Taylor Fans be Grateful for Amanda Serrano?

It might not be too safe a statement to make, particularly after the ‘whining’ of fight week, but Irish and indeed Katie Taylor fans around the world should be grateful for one Amanda Serrano.

The Puerto Rican has past experience of drawing out the ire of Taylor’s support and showed her get under the skin capabilities in the build-up to the trilogy fight..

With natural-born talker and skilled fight-builder Jake Paul, behind her, the multi-weight world champ has stuck to the script and verbally assaulted the Irish sensation as fight night draws near.

The explosive Big Apple-based fighter has proved she has apple cart upset capabilities and has the experience, talent, power and confidence to beat the trailblazing Bray star with her performances, albeit not winning ones, in the first two instalments of the classic. 

All of the aforementioned are reasons to be wary for the MVP-promoted banger, while the talk of ‘robbery’ adds to the temporary dislike factor. That said, Serrano has proved as important to Taylor’s legacy as the gifted Wicklow fighter’s own skill set.

Serrano is keen to let everyone know Taylor isn’t a superhero, but there is no doubting the Olympic gold medal winner is a superstar and, like superheroes, superstars need nemesis to make the most of their time in the spotlight.

Without The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler and the various colourful baddies , Batman would be nothing more than a man with a fetish for tights and masks.

Equally, top fighters need challenging nemeses.

Would Sugar Ray Leonard be remembered with such fondness if he hadn’t shared memorable nights with his fellow ‘kings’ Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran.

George Foreman and Joe Frazier have a major part to play in the greatness of Muhammad Ali. Closer to home, what would Steve Collins, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Jr be without each other?

All the aforementioned’s greatness owes in part to the rivals and their legacy was cemented by the fact they were involved in memorable and build-ups, bouts, and battles.

Being a superior talent will get you respect and recognised, but history never forgets rivalries. Roy Jones, Wladimir Klitschko, Joe Calzaghe and maybe even to a lesser extend Floyd Mayweather have all suffered from not having a list of worthy rivals in the opposite corner for large parts of their careers.

In fact Mayweather, who some argue, including himself, is the best ever, but you can be sure he’d be more revered if he had fought in the Four Kings era. ‘Money’ may even have more fan goodwill in the bank had he had an exciting defeat or two on his record rather than waiting until he hit retirement age to fight the only real rival of his era.

It’s not quite fair, but supreme talent can be punished in boxing. Supreme skill isn’t always the first thing fight fans tune into watch.

Taylor’s legacy as a trailblazer, barrier breaker, and extremely talented winner is safe regardless of what transpires in the remainder of her pro career.

The Olympic gold medal winner accounts for as many records as the big Guinness book and has changed the shape of women’s boxing, arguably even female sport in Ireland and around the world.

However, despite having a genuine claim to being Ireland’s greatest ever sports star and one of the greatest female stars globally, her battles with Serrano and, to a lesser extent, Chantelle Cameron and Natasha Jonas have allowed her to secure GWOAT status.

Claressa Shields has, with regular vigour, told the world she is the greatest female of all time ahead of the Bray sensation. With two Olympic gold medals in the bag and with world titles at three weights as a pro the precocious Michigan powerhouse has her supporters.

The American hasn’t quite got the groundbreaking background of the Irish fighter who most agree is responsible for female boxing being accepted into the Olympics in for London 2012, but is a real Taylor GWOAT threat.

That is where the likes of Serrano come in. The likes of the Puerto Rican can add real value to Taylor’s career. Serrano has helped the sporting great make history by headlining at MSG, bring extra spotlight to the sport and inspire more young women around the world – all while helping her bring Netflix and possibly the biggest potential TV audience in boxing to the table.

Not to mention, she has allowed Taylor to have a trilogy and the kind of rivalry boxing loves and remembers fondly, as well as proving her dance partner in two of the greatest, fights in boxing. All beneficial even to a legacy that is already legendary.

It’s hard to pick which one of the pair’s bouts is the ‘biggest female fight in history’, which in itself makes the point.

While Shields, who it has to be noted is a Taylor fan, may have world titles across more weights to two-weight undisputed champion Taylor has bigger wins, bigger nights, and fights that have had a bigger impact on the sport.

Serrano’s fight-building ability and fondness for talking up her chances as well as down Taylor’s capabilities may annoy Irish fight fans, but it draws more eyes to the occasion.

The rivalry has become one of the biggest in modern boxing, and their third bout is the most eagerly anticipated female fight and no doubt one of the most looked forward to fights of the summer, regardless of gender.

Then there is the air of jeopardy Serrano brings to the table. A champion at across weights with a reputation as one of the biggest punchers in the female fight game, who has tested Taylor across 20 enthralling rounds. 

So, if Taylor defeats Serrano for a third time, she would have three wins over a fellow pound-for-pound fighter in a hyped clash that captured the attention of a massive audience.

It would prove another marquee victory that would allow Taylor to set a GWOAT marker that may never be surpassed – and Irish fight fans should be grateful for Serrano for helping to make that possible.