Female boxing has come 'a massive way' and COVID helped it happen, says world champ, ahead of Taylor vs Serrano bout

It's not that long since Jane Couch, Britain's first professional female boxer had to go to court for the right to fight, with the British Boxing Board of Control arguing that "women were too fragile to box and they bruise easily".

Couch won that court case and now just over two decades on two women are making more boxing history.

Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano will be the first female fight to headline at the iconic Madison Square Garden.

The Irish world number one will defend her four world titles against Puerto Rico's seven-weight world Champion Amanda Serrano and Taylor is not wrong when she says this is the best fight in the world right now - male or female.

Boxing is evolving quickly and Scottish two-belt world champion Hannah Rankin says much of that evolution is down to Taylor.

"It's come a massive way. I started boxing six years ago and the thought of two women headlining Madison Square Garden everyone would have laughed, so for that to be happening now is a testament to how much people have got behind women's boxing," Rankin said.

"We must give huge props to Katie Taylor, she's really brought women's boxing to the forefront. Every single female boxer out there, we all love Katie.

"She's just brilliant, she's showcased an amazing level of ability and talent - it's stirred people's interest in the sport."

But the farmer's daughter from Luss, Loch Lomond, has a strong following of her own and her title defence next month will be the first time a female fighter has been the headline act in Scotland - with the bout being moved to Glasgow's biggest venue, the OVO Hydro, after the original venue sold out in minutes.

Ironically, she believes that lockdown helped the sport in this country.

"The pandemic was actually