November 16, (THEWILL) – Irish boxing champion, Katie Taylor, retained her undisputed junior-welterweight title through a controversial unanimous points decision against Amanda Serrano at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Friday night.
The rematch between the two fighters drew an estimated 70,000 spectators, who witnessed a fierce battle that saw Serrano sustain a significant injury.
The Puerto Rican boxer suffered a one-inch cut above her right eye following what officials deemed a headbutt from Taylor, leading to a point deduction for the champion in round eight.
Despite the injury, Serrano maintained offensive pressure throughout the bout, landing consistent punches against her 38-year-old opponent.
However, the judges awarded the victory to Taylor with a score of 95-94, prompting vocal disagreement from the crowd who responded with sustained booing.
“I did not agree with the point deduction and I certainly was not fighting dirty.
“Sometimes it becomes rough in there and you have to prepare for those moments,” Taylor stated after the match.
In response, Serrano challenged the scoring and addressed the headbutt incident, “I knew it would be a little bit shady. She does this in every fight.”
This was the second meeting between these accomplished boxers, following their initial encounter at Madison Square Garden in 2022, which Taylor also won through a split decision.
The Irish champion has indicated her willingness to participate in a third bout against Serrano.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
