OTHER than her career-high purse she said exceeded $6 million, Amanda Serrano had other numbers in mind for Friday night.
If she had her way, the seven-division champion’s rematch with Katie Taylor would be contested at a limit lower than their contracted catch weight of 138 pounds. Serrano also would prefer to fight three-minute rounds, rather than the standard two-minute rounds for women’s bouts.
Serrano suggested three-minute rounds both before their first fight and their rematch, the co-feature on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson undercard at AT&T Stadium in nearby Arlington. Taylor never seemed interested, according to what Serrano stated during their press conference Wednesday night, in extending rounds for either fight.
“Listen, if she really wanted the three minutes,” Serrano said, “I think she woulda suggested it herself, knowing that I asked the first time. She probably woulda been like, ‘Hey, she does it and she’s not interested in doing the 12 threes this time? But listen, it is what it is. I’m going out there, fighting 10 twos. That’s what we’re gonna do. We have less time to go out there and throw a lotta punches.”
Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs) made history when she fought 12 three-minute rounds against Argentina’s Danila Ramos (then 12-2), who she beat by unanimous decision in their fight for Serrano’s IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO featherweight titles at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida. The southpaw from Brooklyn sensed an additional minute per round enabled her to set up her punches more effectively versus Ramos and afforded her more time to execute her strategy.
Four of Serrano’s five fights, including her victory over Ramos, have been contested at the featherweight limit of 126 pounds since she lost a 10-round split decision to Taylor two-and-a-half years ago at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York. The powerful Puerto Rican fighter has boxed at the super lightweight maximum of 140 pounds, but she didn’t want to grant Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) more of an advantage by agreeing to a 140-pound limit for their rematch.
Taylor, 38, beat Serrano, 36, in a lightweight title fight in April 2022. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist moved up to super lightweight two fights later, however, for her shot at Chantelle Cameron’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 140-pound championships.
England’s Cameron (20-1, 8 KOs) beat Taylor by majority decision in their first 10-round championship clash in May 2023 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Taylor avenged her only professional loss when she edged Cameron by majority decision in their 10-round rematch last November 25 at the same venue.
Serrano hasn’t competed in a super lightweight title fight since she unanimously outpointed Argentina’s Yamila Reynoso (then 11-4-3) in their 10-rounder in September 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
She dropped all the way down to the super flyweight maximum of 115 pounds for her following fight, a first-round knockout of Austria’s Eva Voraberger (then 24-5) in January 2019 at Madison Square Garden’s Theatre in New York. Her victory over Voraberger gave Serrano the vacant WBO super flyweight title, the lowest weight at which she has been crowned a champion.
Overall, Serrano has held titles at 115, 118, 122, 126, 130, 135 and 140 pounds.
“A lotta people don’t acknowledge I am going up three divisions [for the Taylor rematch], being the unified featherweight champion,” Serrano said. “But it’s always hard for me and uncomfortable when I have to leave my weight class, where I feel comfortable at. So, just to have to eat a lot more, a lot more protein, a lot more carbs, just to make sure that I feel good at the weight. I’m hoping that I can make at least the 138 [pounds on Thursday night]. But it is what it is. You know, I’m chasing greatness and that’s going up three divisions to face Katie Taylor once again. And I will be victorious.”
Most sportsbooks have installed Taylor as the slightest of favourites over Serrano. Netflix will start streaming the final four fights of this seven-bout card at 1am GMT in the UK (8pm ET in the United States).
