“You are the real winners.” That was the proclamation of the Puerto Rican fighter Amanda Serrano to the fans who attended the weigh-in ceremony on Friday before her historic fight with the Irish star Katie Taylor.
The living legend of Puerto Rico is He’s right, because this Saturday night’s matchup in New York is absolutely unmissable on multiple levels. But one fact says it all: Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor lead a boxing evening at Madison Square Garden, the first time in the history of the most famous arena in the world that this happens with a duel between women.
In addition to fighting for the undisputed lightweight championship held by Taylor, they will fight for glory; the glory of obtaining the unofficial title of being the greatest in contemporary female boxing.
And to leave the table set for what many consider the fight of the century in women’s boxing, Serrano and Taylor made the official weight and then posed in an epic face-to-face: long and intense, but inside of all respect, during which Serrano exercised his jaw with gum, while Taylor, the undefeated monarch, smiled with a penetrating gaze.
Serrano registered 133.6 pounds on the scale, well below the weight limit. 135. Taylor complied by giving 133.6 lbs. And so the last procedure was completed before the fight, which is also historic because both champions have guaranteed purses of one million dollars.
“Just be the classic Amanda Serrano”, said Serrano (42-1-1) when asked what she should do to dethrone Taylor (20-0), who has been the lightweight champion since 2017 after a monstrous and incomparable amateur career. Taylor’s record includes a decision victory over Cindy Serrano, Amanda’s sister.
The Hulu Theater, at MSG, received Irish and Puerto Rican fans for an appetizer of the spectacular packed house that is expected on Saturday at the mythical Garden. The great event will be broadcast on the DAZN streaming service.
“Thank you very much to the Puerto Ricans, from the bottom of my heart, I love you very much… This is for all Puerto Ricans, to death, baby!”, added the woman 33 years old born in Carolina, Puerto Rico but raised in Brooklyn, who has been world champion in seven different divisions, a Guinness record.
In his turn, Taylor, from 33 years, she was very grateful for the opportunity to hold a battle of such dimension and when asked about how she felt, she replied that she was “ready to hear those words: Still world champion.”
The fight has caught the attention of the general public, something that is not easy to achieve in men’s boxing either. And an example was the message via Twitter from actress Charlize Theron.
“He drank alone 140 years to have 2 female fighters as headliners at MSG, but Taylor and Serrano pulled off the damn thing. You ladies inspire me and women everywhere to the core – can’t wait to see the fight!” Theron wrote.
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