Katie Taylor edges Amanda Serrano by split decision to retain undisputed title

NEW YORK — As the seconds ticked down in their fight, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano stood in the middle of the ring, caring little about defending themselves or being in the proper stance. Hands were thrown constantly from both sides, one after another after another.

Serrano was bleeding around her eye, Taylor bleeding around her nose. What was billed as the biggest fight in women's boxing history lived up to the massive hype, with two of the top three fighters of their generation doing everything possible to end the fight on the terms they wanted.

In the end, it was Taylor who claimed a split decision over Serrano to keep her undisputed lightweight championship. Two judges scored it 97-93 and 96-93 for Taylor, while a third judge had it 96-94 for Serrano.

As Taylor (21-0, 6 KO) stood on top of the ropes of the ring, an Irish flag draped over her shoulders as the crowd roared, it was the culmination of a fight that delivered.

Taylor appeared to say to Serrano, «What a fight,» when they met in the ring after the fight. And Taylor left open the option of a possible second fight between the two — an argument that could easily be made, considering how close Saturday's fight was, not to mention the sold-out, boisterous Garden crowd that couldn't stop cheering long after the final bell.

After the fight, Taylor's promoter, Eddie Hearn, suggested maybe a rematch could occur in Ireland, where Taylor has never fought as a professional.

And it ended with a 10th round encapsulating what so much of the fight had been: a back-and-forth fight in which neither fighter had too much of an edge from round to round. In a close fight of conflicting styles, each fighter had strong moments where they showed why they have been considered one