One of the best rivalries in women’s boxing history will get a much-anticipated trilogy bout on Friday, July 11 in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Irish pound-for-pound great Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs) will defend her undisputed junior welterweight championship against unified featherweight queen and seven-division champion Amanda Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs) in a historic all-female card that will air exclusively to subscribers on Netflix.
The third meeting between these future Hall of Famers was announced Thursday by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, which signed the 36-year-old Serrano to a lifetime contract earlier this week.
“This is more than just a fight — it’s a celebration of the unmatched talent of women in boxing,” Paul and MVP co-founder, Nakisa Bidarian, said in a joint statement. “Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have already shattered barriers and inspired millions, and this trilogy fight at the iconic Madison Square Garden will be another historic step forward for women’s sports.
“This all-women’s card is not only a testament to how far the sport has come but also the beginning of an even greater push from MVP to elevate the next generation of female fighters.”
The 38-year-old Taylor, who captured a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics and is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport, won both meetings against Serrano via close decisions that are still debated among fans to this day (which is why the trilogy was so necessary). Both bouts were fight-of-the-year contenders and were responsible for elevating women’s boxing during this renaissance era.
Taylor won their first fight in April 2022 (also inside MSG) via split decision despite being rocked on her feet midway through against the southpaw Serrano. Their rematch, which served as the co-main event to last November’s Mike Tyson-Jake Paul superfight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, saw Taylor win a disputed unanimous decision despite delivering multiple head butts that caused bleeding to the eyes of Serrano.
Their 2024 rematch, which also aired on Netflix, was the most watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history and saw an average of 74 million viewers globally.
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“I want to thank everyone at Matchroom, MVP and Netflix for getting the trilogy over the line and I can’t wait to headline at MSG again in July,” Taylor said. “I’m 2-0 against Amanda but it’s obviously a very special rivalry that delivers every time we step in the ring so I think it’s only right that we have the trilogy. The atmosphere for the first fight there was amazing and I’m sure it won’t be any different this time around. The numbers that got to see the last fight in November were incredible so hopefully those people will all want to tune in for the trilogy fight as well and we can deliver another great fight.”
The main point of controversy surrounding this third fight is that Taylor has once again refused to sign on for 12 three-minute rounds (akin to men’s boxing) in favor of the outdated model of 10 two-minute rounds, which has historically been the standard for women’s boxing. The shorter rounds favors Taylor’s volume style against the bigger puncher in Serrano.
“I’m disappointed that Katie Taylor did not keep her word and make the trilogy 12 three-minute rounds, equal to the men,” Serrano said. “This is a record-setting payday for both of us, and we owed it to the fans to honor the handshake deal we made. She didn’t. But make no mistake, every time we share the ring, it is war, and I know Friday, July 11, will be the greatest yet because I will finally get the official ‘W’ I deserve.”
The bout marks the second combat sports event to air on Netflix after Tyson-Paul last fall.
“Taylor-Serrano II was not just one of the most thrilling fights I’ve ever witnessed; it also made history as the most-watched professional women’s sports event in the US,” Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, said. “At Netflix we’re proud to continue to elevate the profile of women athletes and to bring another historic event to our global audience with MVP.”
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