Taylor v Serrano – the rivalry that changed boxing

As trilogies go, Friday’s third instalment of the Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano rivalry at New York’s Madison Square Garden doesn’t add up, but still makes all the sense in the world.

Ordinarily, a third meeting in boxing is to break the tie, but, despite undisputed light-welterweight champion Taylor holding a 2-0 advantage from previous meetings, this final chapter feels like day one.

Their initial fight at MSG in 2022 broke new ground, selling out the 20,000-capacity venue out as the first female boxers to headline, producing a 10-round classic from which Ireland’s Taylor emerged narrowly victorious, leaving fight fans craving more.

Two years later and they threw down again, this time in Texas, in a fight which Taylor again shaded, but opinions were divided in the aftermath with many feeling Serrano ought to have got the nod despite suffering a gruesome gash to her right eye which may come into play on Friday should it reopen.

Regardless, Taylor backed up that initial win, so why do it a third time?

It makes financial sense as Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions and Netflix are handing both women their career-high payday.

Their first fight earned them $1m (£737,000) each, with that number quadrupled when they fought in Texas, with more than 50million people tuning in to watch a gripping rematch, which is firmly in the mainstream.

The New York venue was the scene of the first episode in one of sport’s greatest trilogies when Joe Frazier inflicted defeat on Muhammad Ali for the first time, only for ‘The Greatest’ to turn the tables over their next two fights.

Arturo Gatti v Micky Ward will forever be fondly remembered as the quintessential trilogy, and this rivalry is woven into the same tapestry, while, in terms of great female sporting duels, it’s right up there.

Tennis had the Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova era of the 1970s to 1980, the baton picked up by by Steffi Graf and Monica Seles before the great sibling rivalry of the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus.

Basketball has recently produced Caitlin Clark v Angel Reese, while the Jamaican sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah will be forever intertwined.

Taylor and Serrano are undoubtedly in that bracket and, in time, may be remembered as the best of them all.

It takes two to tango and the pair have proven to be the ultimate dance partners, their styles gelling superbly, and, as we approach round 21, there is little doubt we are in for another fight-of-the-year contender.

Despite Taylor holding all the aces, she is the ‘B-side’ this week, with Serrano enjoying all of the perceived ‘house fighter’ advantages in terms of walking to the ring second but, perhaps more significantly, successfully lobbying for this bout to take place at a 136lb weight limit, four pounds below the accepted 10st target for the division.

The 36-year-old arrived at the ceremonial weigh-in emboldened to such an extent the platform elevated her almost to the roof, but it will require more than production to elevate her to where she wants to ascend to on Friday.

“She’s not really in a position to dictate the terms of the fight,” said Taylor on Wednesday.

“She wanted all these other champion privileges.

“It’s a bit strange to put that (Serrano walking out second) in the contract. I don’t really care about that sort of thing.”

It does suggest Serrano’s mindset may be of self-reassurance that she has simply been the victim of an injustice over the previous meetings.

Does that mean she will enter this fight with the same approach and hope for a different result?

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican has hinted she will go about her business in a different direction.

Instinct is always likely to take over for the pair and the chances of a jab-and-grab affair seem slim.

Despite her mild manner, Taylor is a fierce a competitor and, although taking the bait isn’t in her DNA, rising to the challenge certainly is.

In their first fight she made the adjustments when momentum swung to Serrano in the middle rounds, while in their second meeting the Puerto Rican’s flying start prompted the Irishwomen to bite down and dog it out.

Making the small tweaks in a rematch can be crucial, so what will be the approach from the pair this time?

There’s a hunch that Serrano may indeed try something different as she carries noted power, but it has failed to stop Taylor in her tracks so far.

But does Serrano have the ring smarts to out-hustle rather than out-muscle?

Whatever they have left in their tanks will be emptied as they seek to have the final word of an all-time great rivalry.

“It’s not just history, but this is taking place in the big Garden and that says it all,” said BBC 5 Live’s Steve Bunce.

“I assume this will be their final fight – where they had their first great fight.

“I fancied Katie in that one, fancied Katie in their second one and I still fancy Katie for this one.