The highly anticipated trilogy bout between boxing titans Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano concluded on Friday night in New York City, with Katie Taylor emerging victorious via majority decision. This result solidified Taylor`s record against Serrano at 3-0 and saw her retain the undisputed super lightweight championship. As with their prior encounters, the fight proved to be a fiercely contested and remarkably close affair from start to finish.
The official scores rendered by the judges were 97-93 and 97-93 in favor of Taylor, alongside a 95-95 tally, resulting in a majority decision win. A majority decision occurs when two judges score the fight for one fighter, and the third judge scores it a draw.
Commentary suggested the pace of this third meeting was perhaps more measured than the previous two, a dynamic some observers felt played to Taylor`s advantage over the ten rounds. Despite the potentially more reserved approach from both competitors, the scoring remained a tight proposition, leaving the outcome uncertain until the final announcements.
Immediately following the announcement of the scores, discussion erupted across social media and among the professional fighting community. Broadcast live on Netflix, the event garnered significant attention, and with that attention came swift and varied analysis of the outcome.
A notable sentiment among some viewers and fighters was the assertion that Amanda Serrano had been unfairly judged, with phrases like “robbed” circulating widely. Such pronouncements are, of course, not uncommon following razor-thin decisions in high-stakes bouts, where judging criteria and individual round scoring become subjects of intense scrutiny – and sometimes, fervent disagreement.
While a comprehensive catalogue of professional reactions is extensive, the immediate wave included prominent figures expressing surprise or disagreement with the majority decision outcome, underscoring the subjective nature inherent in scoring close boxing matches. Conversely, others defended the judges` scores, pointing to specific rounds they believed Taylor clearly won, highlighting the difficulty in scoring such a competitive fight.
In the immediate aftermath, Taylor offered no definitive statement regarding her potential retirement, leaving the door open for future endeavors after this decisive victory in the historic trilogy.
Ultimately, Katie Taylor secured the decisive victory in the trilogy, cementing her status as champion. However, the nature of the majority decision ensures the third chapter of this historic rivalry will be debated alongside the first two, a testament to the competitive parity and enduring appeal of Taylor vs. Serrano.
Marcus Blakely