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Put her under pressure – Taylor’s GOAT rival Shields believes an aggressive Serano can beat talented Taylor

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Amanda Serrano can pressure her way to victory when she faces Katie Taylor this spring according to Clarissa Shields.

Taylor’s chief GOAT rival believes the meeting of the undisputed lightweight champion and the seven division titlist is a genuine 50-50 clash.

The three weight world champion and two time Olympic gold medal winner is not the only one to see it as a power versus panache meeting.

The Flint native believes close friend Serrano holds the power cards while Taylor trumps her rival in the skill and hand-speed departments.

“I think it’s a 50-50 match,” Shields told US broadcaster DAZN, who will broadcast the fight Stateside. “I think that Amanda holds the power there, but Katie, as we all know, has great skills and very great hand speed.”

Shields, who has generally been respectful to Bray’s Taylor despite claiming to be ahead of her in the greatest of all time race, does feel the Brooklyn resident can somehow emulate the kind of come forward pressure applied by Delfine Persoon she can upset the odds.

“Amanda has been around for many, many years and she has a lot of experience. She’s a seasoned fighter. I think that Katie Taylor don’t really do well with pressure fighters and I feel like [if] Amanda can do that gameplan and also take what Katie Taylor’s giving back, and have some defence, maybe she can come out the winner.”

Shields can see Serrano winning the bout if she does apply the aforementioned game plan, but can also forsee a set of tactics that allow the Irish half of the mega fight to secure victory.

“But if Katie can adjust to fighters attacking her, and her having better defence, not just on her feet, but [in] her upper body, I think that she could win. So, it’s a really 50-50 fight between both girls.”

Confirmation of the bout, its date and its location is expected in the coming days.

The location is the only thing delaying an announcement. New York and London are in the frame and it has yet to be decided which destination suits best.

Serrano claims she is happy either way suggesting venue won’t effect the outcome.

The fight can be in the UK, it can be in the States. It doesn’t matter to me – it’s a business.

“The outcome is going to be the same. It’s going to be one hell of a fight.”

dpg

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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