Katie Taylor wins third decision over Amanda Serrano

Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano again. Despite a third straight victory over her rival, the difference in talent and heart between the two fighters remains thin.

Taylor retained her undisputed junior welterweight title by majority decision Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Two judges scored it 97-93 for Taylor, the third scored it a draw at 95-95.

“I thought I did enough to win,” Taylor said in the ring after the fight. “I was boxing very smart.”

The card was promoted by Jake Paul’s MVP promotions, which has had Serrano under contract since 2021. It was the first boxing card at the Garden to feature a lineup entirely composed of female fighters and was streamed live on Netflix.

The third fight lacked the aggression and intensity that marked the first two meetings. It was more chess match than brawl. Serrano, 36, did the stalking, but Taylor countered well throughout the fight.

“I tried something different. It was all about fighting smarter, not harder,” Serrano said. “I was trying to keep my distance because [coming forward] didn’t work the first two fights.”

“I want to thank every single one of you for coming out and supporting women’s boxing,” Serrano said earlier to the sellout crowd. She then turned to Taylor and said, “It’s been an honor. You are a true champion, a true warrior.”

Taylor, 39, improved to 25-1. Serrano is 47-4-1.

This third fight was far more measured than the 20 rounds that preceded it. The crowd came alive at the end of the third round when both fighters traded in a corner. Early on, it was Taylor scoring effectively with lead right hands, but neither fighter was able to establish dominance.

The trilogy began in 2022 when Serrano and Taylor became the first women to headline at the Garden. They sold the building out, and the action and drama over 10 rounds set the standard for their next two meetings.

Taylor won a split decision on that first night, and they fought again last November on the undercard of the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson show at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Taylor won a unanimous decision but all three judges turned in the same score, giving her a 95-94 victory.

Both of the previous two fights followed the same pattern. They fought hard and at close quarters. Taylor was awarded narrow wins, but if the verdict had been reversed in favor of Serrano, few would have mounted a strenuous argument.

In the co-feature Friday night, Alycia Baumgardner retained the world super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Jennifer Miranda. The scores were 98-92 twice and 97-93 for Baumgardner.

Also on the undercard, in a spirited fight for the undisputed super bantamweight title, Ellie Scotney scored a unanimous decision over Yamileth Mercado. The scores were 100-90 and 98-92 twice.

Shadasia Green claimed the super middleweight title with a split decision over Savannah Marshall. The scores were 95-94 and 96-93 Green and 96-93 Marshall.

Chantelle Cameron, the only fighter to have beaten Taylor as a pro, won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jessica Camara.