In an exciting and tumultuous fight, Katie Taylor fought her way out of desperate trouble in the middle rounds, when Amanda Serrano appeared to be on her way to force a stoppage, to retain her undisputed lightweight world titles on a historic night for women’s boxing. at Madison Square Garden. Amidst a feverish atmosphere, which proved that the best female fighters can capture the attention of a packed crowd with riveting impact, Taylor received the verdict from two of the three judges to win by split decision.
Serrano, who fought with fire and ferocity, won the fight 96-94 on the first judge’s scorecard. The narrow margin seemed much more accurate than the evaluation of the two referees who ruled in Taylor’s favor with scores of 96-93 and an unacceptably wide 97-93. A draw seemed like the right outcome to many at ringside because this was a fight that transcended the sustained hype and serious expectation that had defined the build-up. It was a thrilling yet brutal battle that left both women cut and bleeding and forced to draw on incredible reserves of courage and desire.
An electric atmosphere inside the Garden, with the Irish and Puerto Rican fans swept away by a fight that deserved comparison with some of the most exalted fights held in this famous and old stadium, never flagged. Taylor and Serrano surpassed even that intensity in a run of fluctuating fortunes and staggering intensity.
The first three rounds were close, but Taylor’s corner had reiterated the need for a disciplined and measured performance and the champion, for the most part, stuck to the plan from the start. Serrano hits harder and moves faster and stalked Taylor decisively without closing the distance. Taylor was focused and apparently aware of the danger of being drawn into a face-to-face fight. The 35-year-old from Bray is a better technical boxer than Serrano, but for all her intelligence and skill in the ring, she’s also a sucker for a good fight.
But Taylor is smart, too, and he knew this was a fight fraught with risk. She suppressed her natural instincts to fire back. Instead, she boxed hard and frustrated Serrano, who would have benefited from rounds lasting three minutes. Women’s boxing, however, still uses two-minute rounds, which is simply not enough when it comes to fighters as skilled as these.
The fourth round marked a change in pattern as Serrano began to throw punches more clinically. Suddenly, in the fifth round, Taylor was seriously injured. Serrano punished her to the body and head and blood ran down Taylor’s glassy face. She was leaning against the ropes and seemed unable to stop the attack. As she came out for the sixth, it seemed barely possible that she could survive as Serrano began throwing even more sinister and heavy punches. An emptiness spread across Taylor’s features as she, rocking again, clung to her.
Serrano could feel the impending victory and his concentration wavered. It was as if she was so caught up in the imagined ecstasy of a sensational knockout that she went in search of a single concussive blow to end the contest. Taylor had time to regain some footing and shaded the seventh round. She drew breath and new hope, and as Serrano delivered searing blows for the next four minutes, Taylor struck back. The champion showed a big heart and as they came out for the tenth and final round, she fought with grit and determination. Serrano was forced to retreat, and Taylor let her fists fly in blurry, spiteful bursts. As the fight reached its shocking conclusion, it looked like the 33-year-old Taylor could be stopped as he displayed the fierce will of a great fighter.
When the bell rang, the two women hugged each other in mutual relief and admiration that they had both traversed dark ground in relentless competition. Only Taylor and Serrano will know how much this fight has taken from them under the most intense and savage pressure. Even the most skeptical critics of women’s boxing would have been speechless with admiration for the bravery and brilliance of the two fighters. A rematch is surely inevitable, as the clamor for another contest of this magnitude could be heard shortly after the final bell.
The opportunity to become the first women to headline a show at the Garden, and the first to earn more than $1 million each on the night, had clearly galvanized them both. They also showed touching humility and respect for each other after the fight.
Taylor’s vast army of fans, with more than 4,000 having flown from Dublin to New York for the fight, were nearly delirious with joy. Serrano’s Puerto Rican supporters were just as loud and any doubts about the validity and enormous potential of women’s boxing were shattered. The decision was given to Taylor, a great champion who came back when it mattered most, but this raucous and historic night belonged so much to the brave Serrano. This unforgettable fight will go down in history as the night two women elevated boxing’s battered old soul.
Reference-www.theguardian.com