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Katie Taylor outlasts Amanda Serrano to win instant-classic rematch amidst headbutt controversy
How was that for an encore from Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano? And also, how about some more controversy?
Just like their first fight, Taylor and Serrano delivered another instant classic Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where Taylor outlasted Serrano to remain the undisputed super lightweight champion. After 10 epic rounds, all three judges scored the fight 95-94 for Taylor, despite Taylor having a point deducted by referee Jon Schorle for multiple headbutts that caused a nasty cut over Serrano’s right eye.
Taylor often led with her head in the early going of the fight. Then in Round 4 she collided with Serrano, whose eye was cut open. Taylor and Serrano clashed heads repeatedly over the course of the final six rounds.
As the eighth round began, Schorle warned Taylor: “You better change something.” When that didn’t happen, Schorle took a point away.
During the ninth round, Taylor’s trainer, Jordan Maldonado, spoke to ringside reporter Ariel Helwani about the situation up to that point.
“She’s so dirty,” Maldonado said of Taylor. “She leads with her head. That’s her best attribute.”
A giant screen above the ring shows a close up of Puerto Rican boxer Amanda Serrano’s wounded eyebrow arch during the super-lightweight world championship boxing bout against Irish boxer Katie Taylor fight at The Pavilion at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, November 15, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
After the fight, Serrano didn’t hold back on her feelings about the headbutts being intentional.
“I think 100 percent because she does it in every fight,” Serrano said. “… It is what it is.”
Despite the unexpected adversity she faced, Serrano landed more than Taylor by a wide margin of 324-217 and at a better clip of 44-41 percent. The headbutts from Taylor and controversial decision took away from an all-time classic that evolved into a full-on brawl as the rounds wore on.
Taylor’s victory follows up a controversial split decision win over Serrano when they first met back in 2022.