Fans of entertainment, of so-called fun events (we could call them ‘freak shows’) see tonight’s fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul as the main event, the undisputed headliner. We boxing fans, we know the distinction should really in all goodness be held by the 140 pound women’s clash between modern greats Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
The card, to go out on Netflix, will be watched by many millions of people all over the world, and the reason is Mike Tyson. Yes, Jake Paul has a massive following (just why being a very real question asked by older folks), but Tyson is selling this fight, he HAS sold this fight. But the best action will come some minutes before the bell sounds for the heavyweight encounter that is scheduled for eight, two-minute rounds.
Taylor, 23-1(6) and Serrano, 47-2-1(31) gave us a superb, all-action fight when they first met, this back in April of 2022. I’m not sure as I’m writing, but wasn’t Mike Tyson in the audience, showing his approval? In any case, the red-hot ten rounds that Taylor and Serrano put on thrilled all, the fight as close as it was exciting. After those 20 minutes of warfare, Irish hero Taylor retained her lightweight titles via split decision.
Puerto Rican star Serrano felt than that she had done enough to win, and she feels so now. Nothing has changed. And, it could be argued, that supremacy between these two has not yet been decided or settled. As such, with both ladies fully up for another war to see who is the top gal, fans know they will get something special tonight.
Some fights, when we settle in to watch them, we know we will not be disappointed. This is one such fight. But again, who wins?
Taylor is the older of the two, this at age 38 to Serrano’s 36, but Taylor is the naturally bigger fighter of the two. Serrano has acknowledged how she has had to “eat a lot more protein, a lot more carbs just to make sure I feel good at the weight.” Indeed, how different will this fight be, being fought at 140, compared to the first fight, which took place at 135?
But in terms of skill, of heart, of desire, of overall ability at getting the win when it really counts, Taylor and Serrano seem to be about dead-level. This is arguably one of the closest 50-50 encounters you will see in terms of a fight that will contest undisputed status. Both champ and challenger are no longer spring chickens, and as such this expected war/battle of attrition/fight to the finish could prove to be the last great effort from both women.
It will be a tough one, it will be a bite-down, leave it all in the ring affair. Who wins? Serrano is the pick to edge things this time, at least from this vantage point. If so, maybe the rubber-match will happen. But for now, let’s settle in for what will be a great, great fight.
Forget for now, if you can, what will take place in the ring a few minutes or so after Taylor and Serrano have added even more good stuff to the rep of women’s boxing. What the Tyson-Paul fight does to the reputation of all boxing, well, we can only wait, watch, and see.
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