Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali. Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson. Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury. Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano.
One of these fights is different from the other.
When Taylor and Serrano enter the ring on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, they will compete in what their promoters are billing as the biggest fight in women’s boxing history.
It’s typically hyperbolic but with some standing. Taylor is the undisputed lightweight champion, and she and Serrano are both considered to be among the top fighters pound for pound. It is rare to see two female boxers of comparable talent competing in the same ring, let alone at Madison Square Garden: This will be the first time in the arena’s history that two women will headline a boxing event.
Each fighter is guaranteed at least $1 million, among the highest purses in women’s boxing, a sport notoriously known for its low pay for women.
“Come Saturday night, you’re going to see two of the best go at it and I think it’s only going to get better from here,” Serrano said Thursday.
Both fighters have faced tough challenges to find themselves fighting in one of boxing’s most famed venues.
Serrano, 33, is the betting — and hometown — favorite. Born in Puerto Rico, Serrano was raised in Brooklyn where her sister introduced her to boxing. In 2009, Serrano turned pro and began to dominate multiple weight classes. She did it without any name recognition, and with paydays in the low three- and high four-digit range.
By 2018, Serrano became a world champion in seven weight classes, a number only rivaled by Manny Pacquiao, and she enters Saturday’s fight 42-1-1 with 30 knockouts. Serrano, who also competed as a jujitsu, mixed martial arts, and wrestling fighter, is a southpaw well-known for her willingness to put everything into the ring, giving it all she has.
Taylor, 35, a man who was born in Ireland, had to disguise herself as a boyBecause girls were prohibited from competing in amateur boxing, Taylor was allowed to compete at a young age. The Irish authorities eventually reversed course, and in 2001, Taylor, then 15, won the country’s first official women’s boxing match. After a decorated amateur career and a stint on the Irish national soccer team, Taylor helped bring women’s boxing to the Olympics and went on to win gold in the London Games in 2012.
Taylor holds four major lightweight titles, and has defended them repeatedly. Herquick’s unflagging style has earned her a 20-0 record with six knockouts.
“This isn’t just the best female boxing match in the world right now but probably the best fight to see right now, male or female,” Taylor said at a news conference on Thursday. “The best part about this, the best part of my whole legacy, is to be able to inspire the next generation. This Saturday night is going to inspire a lot of young girls.”
Like many combat sporting events this bout came with its own circus. W.W.E. and Billie Jean King are just a few of the celebrities who have promoted it. It has been promoted by wrestlers and actress Rosie Perez. Jake Paul, a YouTube star turned boxer and content creator, has been the most influential. He promotes the fight through his Most Valuable Promotions firm. Serrano is his first customer.
Paul, 25, has spent the majority of his life trying to get people’s attention. He’s made women’s boxing his next signal boost.
Paul stated that Saturday night’s success will come in two ways: a winner and a payday.
“As long as she wins then we’re happy, that’s the outcome we’re looking for,” he said of Serrano. “The cherry on top would be proving that two women can sell hundreds of thousands of pay-per-views. Then we can go and get Amanda that payday, Katie can get that payday, and the other women in the sport can get paid more.”
DAZN is offering the fight for a monthly subscription at $19.99 or an annual subscription at $99.99. Other people are also selling the fight as a standalone event similar to other pay per view events.
Paul states that this fight is just beginning.
“My goal is to get Amanda a $10 million fight before her career is over, which is unheard-of,” Paul said. “Obviously the business has to be there to be able to do that.”
Eddie Hearn, a longtime promoter with Matchroom Boxing and Taylor’s promoter, said the key to maintaining momentum after Saturday’s fight is to continue to give women the platform to put on a show.
“A lot of broadcasters and commercial organizers think that they should be involved in women’s sport because it’s a box ticked. This has gone beyond that,” Hearn said. “We’re not selling out the Garden because people are saying, ‘Oh, we should go because it’s two women.’ They’re going because it’s a great fight. That’s how you get sustainability.”
Showmanship can go a long ways, too. At Thursday’s news conference, Paul bet Hearn $1 million that Serrano would win. Hearn was reluctant to accept the wager. Paul said that he would give the winnings over to Serrano.
Source: NY Times
