Katie Taylor: Greatness personified on either side of the ropes

Greatness has already been claimed by Katie Taylor, but a third victory in her trilogy bout with Amanda Serrano next month would provide the perfect rubber stamp on an incredible career.

Taylor, who has reigned undisputed in two separate weight divisions, already holds two victories over the Puerto Rican sensation ahead of their meeting at Madison Square Garden on July 11. 

The first also came at the iconic New York venue, where a blistering crowd made up of Irish and Puerto Rican contingents set the pace for a hellacious 10-round barnstormer between the two generational greats in April 2023. 

To keep tabs on Taylor’s meeting with Serrano next month, be sure to check out First.com for all of the best odds offered by bookies for boxing.

Taylor may have been rocked on several occasions by seven-division champion Serrano, but it was the Irish fighter who boasted the better portfolio of work in terms of rounds banked when all was said and done. 

Indeed, two of the three judges ringside agreed, leading to Taylor winning the fight by a narrow split-decision in defence of her undisputed lightweight crown. Attention immediately turned to talk of a potential rematch. 

And, three fights later for Taylor, that is exactly what happened. Arlington’s AT&T Stadium played host, though this time around, the pair’s ferocious battle didn’t hold the main event slot. It was the bizarre and farcical meeting between the once great Mike Tyson and Youtuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul who topped the show, though the female combatants in the chief support undoubtedly stole it. 

Again, things were far from straight-forward for Taylor. A point deducted for repeated use of the head didn’t help her cause but, when things were said and done, it was her hand which was raised for a second time against her great rival.

Ordinarily, a fighter picking up two victories against the same opponent would automatically shut down any talk of a third fight. But these weren’t ordinary circumstances and they’re both far from ordinary fighters. 

And so focus shifts to the Big Apple on July 11. Taylor’s undisputed super-lightweight titles will be on the line once again, though the rivalry has well transcended beyond boxing’s alphabet bodies. 

No, this fight isn’t so eagerly anticipated because of the names on the belts. It’s the names on the posters which really count. And another Taylor victory will further cement an already illustrious legacy. 

Her journey began in Bray, Ireland, where women’s boxing was illegal at the time. To get around this, Taylor would head to the local amateur club and pretend to be a boy, fighting under the name ‘K Taylor’ with her head guard already on when she walked through the doors. 

Already showing signs of the resilience that would drag her through tough meetings against the likes of Delfine Persoon, Chantelle Cameron and, of course, Amanda Serrano, Taylor was determined to put female boxers on an equal footing with their male counterparts. 

Eventually, the Irish authorities saw sense and allowed female fighters to compete in amateur contests. Of course, the then 15-year-old Katie Taylor was involved, taking on and beating Alanna Audley. 

But she didn’t stop there. With women’s boxing still not part of the Olympic programme, Taylor persistently pressured the International Olympic Committee into adding it to the ledger. Eventually, she was invited to fight in front of the IOC in Chicago, under the impression that her performance would determine whether female fighters were indeed allowed to compete in the historic Games moving forward.

And, like pretty much everyone who has set eyes on her, Taylor instantly wowed the Committee. Female boxing was swiftly included in the 2012 programme and has been part of the Games ever since – a feat which wouldn’t have been possible without Taylor’s unrelenting determination. 

She herself would go on to enjoy a wealth of success in the Olympics, winning gold at the 2012 Games in London before entering the professional ranks four years later to much acclaim. 

Under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing banner, Taylor won her first world title in just her ninth pro bout when she defeated Victoria Bustos for the IBF lightweight crown. She would soon rack up the remaining trinkets at 135lbs, before venturing up to 140, where she would also eventually become undisputed champion.

And another win over Serrano would be the cherry on the top of a generation-defining cake. 

Though, it is important to highlight that this legacy should not be reduced to alphabet body trinkets and undisputed taglines. This doesn’t do justice to the tremendous impact she has left the female side of the sport. 

The same can be said of the result of next month’s contest. Of course, it promises to be just as enthralling as the first two, given the calibre of fighters involved. Yet, no result will threaten the way Taylor will be viewed in the coming years and decades. 

Induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame is a given. Consideration as one of Ireland’s best fighters and, indeed, sporting heroes, is also a certainty. 

When all is said and done, it must be said that, for all of her phenomenal achievements in the ring, Katie Taylor’s name will also be viewed in the best possible light for what she achieved out of it.