Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 - Who Wins? 

(OCT 7) Boxing journalists unanimously agree that Taylor vs. Serrano is the biggest rematch in female boxing. It’s one of the biggest rematches in the sport today. It shines a light on just how far female boxing has come in such a short period; there was a time, as little as 20 years ago, when the best pound-for-pound female fighters were working two jobs.

Their elite skill set was seen as a footnote compared to the male version of the sport, where fighters of the same magnitude earned seven figures per fight. While female boxing has grown exponentially over the last decade, the first fight between Serrano and Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 felt like a watershed moment. It unfolded in front of an electric, sold-out crowd and scooped up accolades from The Ring Magazine and Sports Illustrated.

A Landmark Event

If we put our cards on the table, it feels bittersweet that the rematch is on the undercard of the circus event between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Serrano vs. Taylor is a rematch for all of the belts at super lightweight, and given the hysteria the first fight generated, it feels reductive to have it playing second fiddle to an exhibition featuring Mike Tyson, who is nearly 60.

Yes, Mike is a legend, and there’s no denying that this fight, despite the quality of the two women, wouldn’t have been able to sell out the AT&T Stadium. It will also attract a vast TV audience, so it has pros and cons.

Betting markets will see a hive of activity as millions more people tune in to see if Tyson can take out Jake Paul - something many boxing fans wish for. The odds are essentially the same as the first fight, whether you explore the odds at a traditional provider or providers that use newer payment options, such as cryptocurrency.

Taylor goes into the rematch as a slight favorite - but as we get closer to the event, these odds can change quickly.  Bitcoin betting at Thunderpick is one way to explore the markets for this event. While the sportsbooks usually offer a good idea of what’s to come, for those who watched the first fight, we know it’d take a brave person to bet either way on this outcome.

The Case For Serrano

Serrano has stayed sharp since her first fight in 2022, scoring five wins, including one knockout in her last bout. She’s one of the greatest boxers of her generation in any weight class, and many believe she was unlucky not to get the decision in the first fight.

Her continued activity and winning form are two things to consider here. Her sharp, stinging combination punching and footwork gave Taylor fits in the first fight - she was walking her into straight shots from her southpaw stance, and her effective work in the pocket caught the judges' eye.

Serrano has this sharp offensive quality on her side, as well as her age and the fact that she’s fighting on her promoter's show. Now, this isn’t meant to make a difference in boxing, but it can, especially if the fight is as razor-thin as the first one.

Can Taylor Repeat The Victory?

Few female fighters have performed the heroics and brought the sport along like the legendary Irishwoman. Katie proclaimed earlier this year that fighting on a Mike Tyson bill is a dream for her. Taylor’s run of opponents since the first Serrano match has proved tough opposition.

Granted, she’s fought better opposition during this period than Serrano, and although she picked up her only loss to Chantelle Cameron -  she later avenged it.

Katie is 38, and she will have one eye on retirement. She has been involved in several edge-of-the-seat brawls, which can take its toll later in her career. Taylor’s aggressive style does leave her open to counter-punchers; we’ve seen it many times, including Serrano, Delfine Persoon, and in the first Chantelle Cameron fight, which she lost on points.

Katie will have to be firing on all cylinders, keeping out of the way of Serrano’s crisp shots and trying to apply the controlled pressure she did in the second half of the first fight to get her over the line again.

Final Verdict

Honestly? This fight seems too close to call. Pundits and experts are split down the middle, the sportsbooks aren’t giving much away, and if you look at the first fight combined with the current form of both fighters, there isn’t much to give a solid advantage to either.

It’ll be all about who can set the pace of the fight and which woman can turn it into their type of fight - if Serrano can start sharp and quick and keep it at her range for the first three or four rounds, Taylor will have to force the action.

It feels as though this is where Amanda is at her most punishing. If Taylor pushes the fight early on, Serrano will have to get on the front foot, and although she can look impressive and explosive in bursts when she does this, Taylor could also potshot her way to a win. Serranos' age and freshness could be the only deciding factors here. We will say the Puerto Rican will get it over the line in a close but fair decision at the end of the ten rounds.