Fight of the Century Revisited

Sold Out Crowd at MSG Watches Clash Between Taylor and Serrano and More

By Uppercut Magazine staff

(All Photos by JP Yim)

As a thunderous wave of sound blanketed the arena with the concussive power of 19,000 voices, Katie Taylor emerged as a tiny figure wearing a black and gold trim robe and a look of wonderment as the cheers cascaded from the highest reaches.

Earlier Amanda Serrano had walked into the same arena and was met with the same wave of sound that no other two female prizefighters had ever heard before in the history of women’s boxing. Let alone at Madison Square Garden.

Female prizefighting had arrived. And it was impressive as they two champions met on April 30, at Madison Square Garden. Remember it forever.

“Look what we have just done, selling out Madison Square Garden, the biggest venue in boxing history,” said Taylor.

After more than a century of being ignored and shoved aside as a bothersome and uninteresting sport, women’s professional boxing had finally cracked the sound barrier of acceptance as a spectator sport. The sonic boom of its victory resonated long after the fight like the best chocolate sundae ever tasted.

It was delicious and savoring to all the senses.

Ireland’s Taylor arrived six years ago as a decorated amateur with gold medals upon gold medals. But winning in the amateurs does not equate to the feeling of winning a world title that will be forever be etched in the history books of prizefighting.

As a professional, Taylor has conquered handily almost every opponent with ease and precision. Rarely did she endure punishment or doubt of mind or spirit when fighting in the prize ring. She quickly became undisputed lightweight world champion.

Brooklyn’s Serrano arrived as a professional in March 2009 with knowledge accumulated from watching her older sister Cindy Serrano perform. As a young Puerto Rican she emulated her sister’s ways and learned that she had unusual power in her two fists. She also learned that power alone was not enough to garner victories and was eager to accumulate other facets that led to seven division world titles.

Only one man, Manny Pacquiao, could claim more division world titles with eight.

The Fight

When Taylor (21-0, 6 Kos) and Serrano (41-2-1, 30 Kos) entered the prize ring to the roar of an edge-of-their-seat crowd with Irish flags waving and Puerto Rican banners swaying to and fro, the bell rang and the two highly-regarded female fighters commenced to test each other’s abilities.

Serrano, a southpaw power-hitter with the confidence of 30 prior kills moved in cautiously. She was not fighting Jackie Trivilino or Brittany Cruz two of her earliest victims. This was legendary Taylor the Irish girl who convinced her country to accept women in boxing.

Taylor, a quick-fisted blur of a fighter, was not exchanging blows with Karina Szmalenberg or Viviane Obenauf who incidentally is facing murder charges for allegedly killing her husband. The Irish fighter was cautious and measured against the unknown power of Serrano’s blows.

For two rounds the dangerous prizefighters carefully exchanged probing jabs and counter-punches as if a scorpion might catch them in-between blinks. Neither seemed anxious nor fearful, mainly protocol as if preparing the massive audience for a pending eruption.

It came suddenly in the third round as Taylor connected with one of her rapid combinations that interrupted the steam of consciousness bliss that had preceded. Now violence was unleashed and Serrano immediately retaliated like a mongoose when attacked by a cobra.

A riveting battle ensued and there was no going back. Serrano targeted the body of the fleet-moving Taylor who countered with blinding rights and lefts. The crowd erupted with roars that made hearing the bell to end the round impossible to detect.

Fans were glued to the action and from the third round onward their sounds and reactions were just as much a part of the championship fight as the actual participants.

It was evident that Serrano felt comfortable with her stance and distance to be able to unleash her desired blows that 30 other fighters could not withstand.

Forward she marched in the fifth round pressuring Taylor who tried to exchange her speedy combinations as a deterrent for Serrano’s power. It seemed to work until a left cross crushed the side of Taylor’s skull. Blood and a look of surprise came over the Irish fighter who attempted to grab hold of the Puerto Rican. The clinching attempt was met with another crushing left hand that nearly toppled Taylor.

To the fans of Taylor it looked like their hero was about to meet defeat. To the fans of Serrano it looked like power prevailed once again. Somehow Taylor managed to groggily return to her corner at the end of the round. Conscious, but barely.

In the sixth round Serrano again advanced forward with the confidence of an executioner who cares not what happens to the victim, only that her job was to end the fight. Blows came nonstop and though Taylor punched back their affect seemed unable to deter the Puerto Rican’s mission.

With the seventh round about to begin worried faces appeared in the crowd of those supporting the Irish girl. It looked like one more effort or attack similar to the fifth round would end the fight. But instead, Serrano seemed to step back and reserve maximum effort for the later rounds. It was a mistake.

Taylor never surrendered before and was not about to surrender because of a few bad rounds. She had endured two clashes with Belgium’s Delfine Persoon and though not as powerful as Serrano, the two fights had prepared Taylor for this moment of truth. The allowance by Serrano for the Irish fighter to catch her breath and regain her footing proved to be a major faux pas.

Taylor was back in control.

After seven rounds Taylor learned that she could not exchange evenly with Serrano’s powerful southpaw style and resorted to quick combinations and move out of range. Though Serrano still connected especially during the clinches, the judges did not give her credit for the final three rounds.

In the 10^th round both Serrano and Taylor exchanged blinding blows with the crowd roaring in support of their effort. Both landed and Taylor almost fell from either a blow of tripping over Serrano’s foot. It was difficult to determine but the two premier women pugilists had tested each other to the maximum level.

Cheers and roars blanketed the arena.

One judge Benoit Roussel tabbed Serrano the winner 96-94. Guido Cavalleri tabbed Taylor 96-93, and Glen Feldman 97-93 did too. Taylor retained her undisputed lightweight title by split decision.

“What a fighter Amanda Serrano is - I think we are both great fighters,” said Taylor.

A disappointed Serrano was gracious in defeat and Taylor jumped on to the ropes of the corner buckle to salute the crowd. Women’s prizefighting finally had its moment.

“Katie is a warrior and she was ready for it,” said Serrano.

Franchon

Not to be forgotten was a super middleweight showdown between champions Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos.

Crews and Cederroos had agreed to a unification match and twice before but their efforts were denied for various reasons. Three promoters tried to put them together and not until Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn did they finally have a deal.

When the two fighters entered the boxing ring there was a lot of pent up frustration ready to be released, especially from the American fighter Crews.

Immediately Crews unleashed an overhand right that connected either on the top of Cederroos head or guard and the tall former Swedish soccer player was pushed backward by the force. Crews moved forward like a street cleaner eager to wipe the opponent out of the ring.

Cederroos took heavy blows and more heavy blows but despite a bloody nose and face by the third round, she was not looking for an escape to quit. She kept firing back and tried numerous alternatives to regain momentum. Punches were exchanged but every time Crews fired an overhand right it seemed to land with force.

A voice could be heard yelling encouragement to Crews and it was former undisputed middleweight and super welterweight champion Claressa Shields. Strangely, the two fought each other in their pro debut and Shields let it be known that Crews was her toughest opponent yet. Now they are friends until they meet again in the prize ring.

Crews looked her best when she fought Shields back in 2016. Now, she looked even better against Cederroos as she pounded the taller Swede from corner to corner. Even when Cederroos regained momentum for a brief moment, Crews did not allow it to last long and pushed the Swedish fighter back with more overhand rights and sweeping left hooks.

Nothing worked for Cederroos who never quit. This was Crews’ night and her moment of redemption poured out like a cool foamy beer on a hot summer night.

No surprise was heard when all three judges deemed Crews the winner and new undisputed super middleweight world champion by scores 99-91 twice and 97-93.