Katie Taylor defended her WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO light-welterweight titles in a fiery rematch against Amanda Serrano at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
Story Summary:
- Katie Taylor edged Amanda Serrano in a heated rematch, retaining her light-welterweight titles despite a controversial decision.
- Amanda Serrano’s coach, Jordan Maldonado, criticised Taylor’s alleged tactics, calling out headbutts and the referee’s role in the fight.
- Fans and experts are divided over the result, leaving room for potential talks of a third showdown between the two boxing icons.
Judges make controversial call in Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano bout
The boxing match, billed as a co-main event alongside the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul clash, captivated fans with its intensity but left the audience divided.
Taylor clinched a narrow victory with unanimous 95-94 scorecards, despite a point deduction for a headbutt.
While Taylor celebrated a triumphant return to Ireland with her belts intact, the decision was met with boos from the 70,000-strong crowd.
Serrano’s swollen face and gruesome eye injury only added to the drama, as she fought through the later rounds despite needing medical treatment.
Both fighters delivered a thrilling performance, trading blows and refusing to back down in a slugfest that highlighted their determination.
However, Taylor’s win, coming after an earlier split-decision victory against Serrano in 2022, raised questions about the fairness of the outcome.
What Serrano’s coach said about Taylor
Amanda Serrano’s trainer, Jordan Maldonado, didn’t hold back in his post-fight criticism, accusing Taylor of intentional headbutts and calling for stricter officiating if there’s a third match.
“If you look at Katie Taylor’s fights, you will see a lot of her opponents have gone out with grotesque swelling in the head,” he said, adding,
“Katie is a beautiful person but has an extremely huge head.”
Maldonado’s comments were fuelled by the visible damage Serrano endured, including a cut that required attention during the sixth round.
Serrano herself echoed her coach’s sentiments, alleging that Taylor’s headbutts were deliberate. “I think 100 percent [the headbutts were intentional] because she does it in every fight,” Serrano said.
The controversial decision and the accusations have reignited talks of a potential third fight.
Serrano’s camp insists on a “fair referee” next time around, emphasising their frustration with the officiating in Dallas.
