1 week Ago By Charlie Parker-Turner
Amanda Serrano has levelled accusations at Ireland's Katie Taylor, claiming she deliberately headbutted her during their intense rematch in Texas. Despite the controversy, Taylor successfully defended her undisputed world light-welterweight champion title with a unanimous decision victory over Serrano at the AT&T Stadium on Friday, with the judges scoring the bout 95-94 in her favour. The Puerto Rican fighter sparked controversy in her post-fight Netflix interview, accusing Taylor of cheating and intentional headbutting.
Serrano sustained a severe cut above her eye in the fourth round, which was deemed an accidental headbutt. Taylor lost a point in the eighth round after repeated warnings against leading with the head. Post-match, Serrano stated: "I knew it if went to the judges it was going to be a little shady.
"I chose to be great. I went up three divisions. It is what it is.
I’m a featherweight, man. She kept headbutting me. It’s what she does.
"It’s not just my fight, it’s all her fights. It’s what she does." In response, Taylor defended herself, saying: "I certainly wasn’t fighting dirty.
It gets rough in there. It was an absolute slugfest, a war. "This is an amazing moment in women’s boxing.
Thank god for another amazing fight." The fight began with both fighters trading jabs before Taylor landed a heavy counter punch midway through the opening round. Despite Serrano quickly recovering and landing a vicious counter of her own as the bell rang, the pace quickened in the second round as Taylor started to dominate some heavy exchanges.
Throughout the third round, Serrano advanced, repeatedly backing Taylor into the ropes, but the Irishwoman's veteran defence allowed her to land multiple shots from underneath and maintain pressure on her opponent. Both women connected with heavy hits throughout the fourth round, with Serrano receiving a bad cut on her forehead after an accidental headbutt. The wound worsened over the next round, leading the referee to pause the action in the sixth round so the ringside doctor could examine it.
After the bout was given the green light to continue, the seventh round saw non-stop action as both women were rocked by heavy blows, but neither showed signs of giving up. Early in the eighth round, Serrano connected with a series of vicious jabs before Taylor received a warning for leading with the head. Taylor retaliated with a flurry of her own punches, but was penalised a point after repeated warnings from the referee.
The ninth round saw both fighters landing heavy hits, however, Serrano seemed to be hindered by a cut above her eye, causing her to miss several powerful punches. In the final round, both women went all out, each landing crucial blows before time ran out with Taylor cornering Serrano. After the bell, Taylor and Serrano shared an embrace, but the predominantly pro-Serrano crowd expressed their discontent when the result was announced.
The match was a brutal exchange over 10 rounds, echoing their previous classic at Madison Square Garden in 2022. Following the bell, Taylor and Serrano shared a hug, however, the announcement of the result was met with disapproval from the predominantly pro-Serrano crowd..
