‘We shook on it’ – Katie Taylor accused of backing out of fight promise as Amanda Serrano wages war with bizarre dig
AMANDA SERRANO accused Katie Taylor of backing out of a handshake promise – as their rivalry turned bitter for the first time.
Taylor beat Serrano in their undisputed lightweight title classic in 2022 before another close points win in the rematch last November.
Now the legendary ladies meet again in a trilogy bout on July 11 back at New York’s Madison Square Garden – the scene of the original thriller.
The pair of pioneers have had nothing but respect for each other over their two years of fighting.
But things soured as Serrano said Taylor agreed to box over 12 sets of three-minute rounds – as men do – opposed to ten, two-minute rounds.
She said: “We shook on it. If you can roll the tapes, we shook on it. She didn’t agree when we went to sign the contract.
“If that’s her choice then that’s her choice, but I believe that women should get the recognition and the equality that the men get.”
But Taylor, 38, hit back: “I think as a matter of principle that the challenger shouldn’t be dictating the terms of the fight.
“I am 2-0 here and I’m in the driver’s seat here and that’s only right. At the end of the day Amanda needs this fight a lot more than I do.
“I have a long history of big fights against big names and a line of people queuing up to fight me for the payday.”
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Serrano, 36, countered with: “You know that if you have an extra minute that it won’t go your way.”
The Puerto Rican great – promoted by Jake Paul – fought Danila Ramos over 12×3 minute rounds in 2023 – but it went to points.
And Taylor jibed: “I think the point of the three-minute rounds was to prove to people that you get more knockouts.
“How many knockouts did you get in your 12 three-minute rounds? Zero.”
Serrano aimed a further dig by bizarrely facing off with Taylor wearing a headguard.
It was in reference to claims that the Irish icon caused Serrano to bleed in their rematch due to accidental headbutting.
In their first fight, Serrano threw 624 punches, landing 173 with an accuracy rate of 28 per cent, according to CompuBox.
She out-landed Taylor, who threw 375 punches, landing with 147, but it meant she was more accurate with a 39 per cent success rate.
In the rematch, Taylor threw 529, landed 217 to score with 41 per cent accuracy.
But Serrano was busier with 734 punches thrown, landing 324 with more accuracy at 44 per cent.
Still Taylor was awarded the win in Texas and said at the trilogy press conference: “If you look at those fights, you can clearly see that I won those two fights.
“It’s insane. It’s ridiculous, really. It’s really, really insane that she thinks she won those fights.”