Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano both weighed-in at 137.4 pounds on Thursday ahead of their undisputed junior-welterweight title rematch on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Jack Paul fight in Dallas, Texas.
Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) beat Serrano (47-2, 31 KOs) via split decision in their historic 2022 fight, the first in which two female boxers headlined New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Since then, Taylor suffered her only professional defeat to Chantelle Cameron in May 2023, which she avenged later that year in November to become undisputed junior welterweight champion and further cement her status as one of, if not the best female fighter of all time.
Taylor, 38, said she is ready to silence any doubters and those who believe Serrano won their first encounter.
“Well, I believe that I won the last fight clearly and I’ve just got to go in there on Friday night and beat her again,” Taylor told a press conference in Texas on Wednesday.
“I’ve put my body through the trenches over these last few months and it’s an absolute privilege to be here on the same card as a legend in the sport.
“It’s absolutely an amazing opportunity that we both have and I just can’t wait to step in there and showcase what I can do again and get another win.”
Serrano, a champion in seven weight divisions, said she will add another to her collection with victory over Taylor.
“I’m chasing greatness and that’s going up three divisions to face Katie Taylor once again and I will be victorious,” Serrano said on Wednesday.
“I just have to go out there and perform like I did the last time. [I’ll] do what I do best and that’s come to fight.
“I’m going up three divisions being the unified featherweight champion. [I] just have to eat a lot more, a lot more protein a lot more carbs just to make sure I feel good at the weight.”
Source: espn.com