When Katie Taylor beat Sofya Ochigava to win a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, it was clear she was something special. Of course, by that point, she had already earned 4 consecutive World Championship gold medals and 5 European Championship golds, not to mention setting an Olympic noise record in her quarterfinal win over Natasha Jonas on her way to facing Ochigava.
Fast-forward 10 years, and Taylor – who turned pro in 2016 – is now a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion with an unbeaten 20-0 record. The Irishwoman picked up the WBA belt in 2017, and 2 years later she had added the IBF, WBO, and WBC straps to her collection, along with The Ring magazine title, as well as moving up a class to secure the WBO junior-welterweight belt along the way. In taking all 4 major world titles at lightweight, she became 1 of just 8 boxers – male or female – to hold them simultaneously.
As such, it won’t come as a surprise to learn the 35-year-old is considered to be the best pound-for-pound female boxer on the planet. Taylor has successfully defended her lightweight collection on 5 occasions so far, most recently against Firuza Sharapova in December.
If anyone can pose a threat to that collection – not to mention Taylor’s unbeaten record – it's Serrano. The Puerto Rican has held a record 9 major world titles across 7 weight classes, and she is currently the unified featherweight world champion. Serrano, 33, has been fighting professionally since 2009, racking up 44 career fights in that time. Of those, she has won 42, losing just once and drawing the other.
“It's been called the biggest fight in female boxing history and it is a privilege to be part of a historic moment – this is history right here,” Taylor said. “I think this fight is the most exciting fight in the sport. Not just in female boxing, in boxing as a whole.”
It will be a “career-defining night,” she added. To make the night even more special, the pair will make history as the first female headliners of a fight in Madison Square Garden’s 140-year history of hosting boxing events.
Tickets start from USD $56, while VIP packages – which include premium ringside seats, weigh-in access, and pre-event hospitality – cost $2140. It promises to be a truly unmissable night of boxing, so secure your place today!
