‘A legendary fight’ – Why Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano means so much for boxing and women’s sport

The spring schedule traditionally brings the very best boxing has to offer with Saturday’s showdown between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano one of the most important fights the sport has ever seen.

Slotting in a week after Tyson Fury’s heavyweight title victory over Dillian Whyte and a week before the return of pound-for-pound star Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, it is quite simply one of the biggest match-ups that can be made today.  

For the first time in the venue’s 140-year history, two women will headline a card at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday, with Taylor vs Serrano joining Rocky Marciano vs Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier and Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr among the illustrious fights held at the hallowed venue.

Against a backdrop of Irish and Puerto Rican flags, undefeated and undisputed queen of her division Taylor takes on a seven-weight world champion in Serrano.

It is a true 50-50 contest, bringing together the two fighters widely considered to be the no1 and no2 pound-for-pound best in women’s boxing. Anyone with even a passing interest in the sport will be aware of how exasperatingly rare that is – you have to go back to the 2008 classic between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez for the last time that happened.

‘It is a legendary fight, it’s pretty simple,’ says Chantelle Cameron, the reigning IBF and WBC super-lightweight champion said. ‘At Madison Square Garden we have two fighters who are legends in their own right and right at the top of the sport. It is the first of hopefully more undisputed in fights in women’s boxing this year.’

Taylor vs Serrano has demanded the media attention afforded to the most high-profile fights in men’s boxing with the Garden expected to be a sell-out on