Katie Taylor embraced by her mother Bridget after win over Amanda Serrano
by Robert Hynes · Irish MirrorKatie Taylor was embraced by her mother Bridget after beating Amanda Serrano for a second time on Friday.
Taylor defeated the Puerto Rican via unanimous decision as all three judges felt she had done just enough to have her hand raised in victory as they each scored the bout 95-94.
The victory follows the Bray native's win over Serrano at Madison Square Garden in April 2022.
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Both fighters exchanged jabs as the bout commenced before Taylor landed a heavy counter punch halfway through the first round.
Serrano recovered from it well though and landed a vicious counter of her own as the bell rang, which pushed Taylor on to the ropes.
The pace quickened in the second round as Taylor began to get the better of some heavy exchanges between the two as she moved around the ring well.
Serrano continued to come forward during the third and backed the defending champion on to the ropes a couple of times but the 2012 Olympic champion defended great and connected with multiple shots from underneath.
Both women connected with heavy hits throughout the fourth round, Serrano receiving a bad cut on her forehead after an accidental headbutt.
The cut got worse over the following round, with the referee stepping in to pause the action in the sixth round so the ringside doctor could investigate, but he judged it to be fine.
After the bout received the ok to continue, the seventh round saw non-stop action as both women were rocked by heavy blows, but neither looked like giving an inch.
Serrano connected with a series of vicious jabs early in the eighth before Taylor received a warning for leading with the head.
Taylor responded by landing a series of blows of her own but was deducted a point after receiving further warnings from the referee.
The ninth round saw heavy strikes continue to land from both fighters, but Serrano appeared to be hampered by the cut above her eye as she missed wildly with a few big punches.
Both women swung for the fences in the final round, each connecting with a pivotal few big strikes before the clock expired with Taylor pressuring Serrano in the corner.
Taylor and Serrano embraced each other after the bell, but the heavily pro-Serrano crowd voiced their displeasure as the result was announced.
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