(MAY 19) Why the media plaudits have taken so long is anyone’s guess, although the women’s professional boxing scene has endured a tough time getting the recognition it deserves. Regardless of numerous thrilling bouts over the years, female fighters have often failed to hit the headlines in the same way as their male counterparts. But it seems we are now reaching a watershed moment.

On Saturday 30 April this year, Madison Square Garden in New York City hosted a historic first for the women’s boxing scene. “For History” was the promotional tagline for the Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano bout, becoming the first time a women’s boxing match has ever headlined the fight card at the iconic venue.

Described in the build-up to the eagerly anticipated contest as the  "biggest women's fight of all time" by DAZN, who had exclusive broadcast rights to the bout, this was a meeting of stellar boxing talents which certainly lived up to all the hype. In the midst of an electrifying atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, sold out for the occasion with just over 19,000 fans in attendance, these two superb female pugilists put on a thrilling show.

This was a battle of two fantastic boxers that went the distance, as Taylor defended her undisputed lightweight titles against seven-division world champion, Amanda Serrano. Heading into the bout and already an iconic name in the sport, 33-year-old Serrano had been unbeaten in her previous 28 contests. 35-year-old Taylor boasted a completely unblemished record which dated back to her 2016 professional debut.

Something had to give in what became a close fight between these two superstars, in what ESPN justifiably called "an epic fight" between Taylor and Serrano. The ebb and flow of the bout was mesmerising to watch, which also led ESPN to enthuse further in their summary, highlighting this contest as “one of the best fights of the year – if not the best – regardless of weight class or gender.”
Taylor appeared to be the better boxer in the early rounds of this titanic duel, although Serrano produced a stunning salvo in the fifth which seemed to have ‘The Bray Bomber’ seriously rattled. Nevertheless, the response from Taylor was equally remarkable, producing a sixth round that could go down as one of the best in her career, punishing ‘The Real Deal’ with fearsome blows on the counter.

It was from this point that Irish favourite Taylor looked more in control, albeit facing constant threats and the indomitable Puerto Rican persistence from Serrano. In the end, the fight was decided in the only way it possibly could be, via a split decision from the judges. The final verdict was 94-96 in favour of Serrano, but 97-93 and 96-93 in favour of Taylor, who retained her collection of undisputed titles and her unbeaten record.

Easily the best aspect of this monumental fight was the reaction it generated, not only in the boxing media but in the mainstream news media, matching the kind of coverage and enthusiastic reporting we have previously only seen for the male boxing scene. Beyond their excellent fighting abilities, Taylor and Serrano have elevated women’s boxing to entirely new levels, marking themselves as iconic fighters and great ambassadors for the sport.

Promoters and broadcasters, along with avid fans, will undoubtedly be hoping this proves to be a watershed moment for women’s boxing, finally getting the credit and recognition it has always richly deserved. Likewise, given the huge popularity which surrounds betting on major boxing events, perhaps online bookies will now begin to cover the women’s fight game in greater depth.

Looking ahead to the future, thanks to the widespread media coverage and praise the Taylor versus Serrano bout received, perhaps we have finally reached a turning point. This was proof positive that female boxers and headline bouts can fill iconic venues, while just as importantly, grabbing the attention of pay-per-view audiences. This could also mean that fight purses begin to increase, along with sponsorship for leading fighters, causing a filter effect throughout women’s boxing.