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Katie Taylor is one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of gloves and step into the ring. The Irish legend has helped to change the face of the sport of boxing; the Lineal and Undisputed World Champion will put it all on the line again on Friday night in a rematch of the 2022 'fight of the year.'
Taylor will fight Amanda Serrano on Friday night in front of a packed-out AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The pair's rematch will be the co-main event alongside the controversial pro-bout between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, with Taylor and Serrano offering legitimacy to the evening's action in the eyes of many.
The fight has the potential to be the most-watched women's sporting event ever, with Netflix broadcasting the fight for their 280 million subscribers. Even if a fraction of those tune in, it could be another night of history in the Taylor camp.
Cooper Neill/ Getty Images for Netflix
MORE: Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 live updates
From Katie Taylor's humble beginnings to boxing World Champion live on Netflix
Katie Taylor's early life in Bray
Taylor was born in Bray, Ireland on 2nd July 1986 to Bridget and Pete. Her father was a former Irish Heavyweight boxing champion, and after his daughter took up boxing at 12 at St Fergal's boxing club, he became her trainer. Just three years later as a 15-year-old, Taylor fought in the first-ever officially sanctioned female boxing bout in Ireland at the National Stadium.
Three years later, in 2005, a 19-year-old Taylor won her first major victory, winning gold at the European amateur championships in Tonsberg, Finland. Taylor would add the World amateur crown to her collection just a year later in New Delhi. Taylor went on to win five amateur World Championship gold medals and six European gold medals in her glittering amateur career. Taylor was also an impressive soccer player, representing Ireland internationally, but chose to pursue a career in boxing.
The Olympics: London 2012 and Rio 2016
The 2012 London Olympic games were the first in history to feature Women's Boxing and Taylor had an eye on history. She arrived in London as the favourite to win gold for Ireland and in the process, to win Ireland's first Olympic boxing gold since 1992 and first gold medal since 1996.
Taylor cruised through to the final, comfortably beating future star Natasha Jonas along the way. The final was close — the Bray native fought Russian Sofya Ochigava and won victory via a narrow decision and took home gold for Ireland.
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In the lead up to the Rio Olympics in 2016, Taylor split from her coach: her father, who had made no secret of his desire for Taylor to give up boxing after winning gold. The split appeared to affect Taylor at the Games, and she was defeated in the quarterfinals.
Turning Pro and becoming the Unified Lightweight World Champion
Taylor made her pro debut in November 2016, and within a year, after making short work of her first few opponents, she had her first title fight. With the WBA Lightweight title on the line, Taylor faced Anahi Ester Sanchez; Taylor started as she meant to go on, dropping Sanchez to the canvas in the second round with a sickening body shot.
Taylor has always been famed for her incredible hand speed and foot work, and she tuned in to box to a comfortable unanimous decision victory and take the title.
Over the following years, Taylor fought and defeated Jessica McCaskill, Victoria Bustos and Rose Volante, unifying the division in the process.
Delfine Persoon and Undisputed glory
Only one name stood in the way of Taylor becoming the Undisputed Lightweight World Champion — Delfine Persoon. Taylor held three belts: the WBA, IBF and WBO, while Persoon held the WBC belt. At Madison Square Garden in 2019, the two came face to face in one of the greatest fights of all time.
The Belgian boxer was aggressive from the outset, while Taylor looked to counter with precision. Persoon and Taylor were more than a match for each other, with Taylor taking the win by a controversial majority decision and a razor-thin margin. There was little controversy surrounding the rematch as Taylor won a clear Unanimous Decision victory — Taylor was truly the Undisputed Champion.
Amanda Serrano I: 'Fight of the Year'
After adding more impressive victories to her resume Taylor took on Amanda Serrano in 2022. A long awaited bout, the fight was the first female fight to headline Madison Square Garden. Serrano, a seven weight World Champion was a worthy opponent on the night. The Puerto Rican fighter almost ended Taylor's perfect professional record in the fifth round, landing three times as many punches as the Irish star, and seemingly rocking Taylor.
But Taylor hung on in there and boxed on the outside for the rest of the fight, with no small amount of ring IQ exerted, Taylor took the win by majority decision. The fight was named 'Fight of the Year 2022' by Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News. The fight was the first bout that female fighters earned over $1 million for fighting in.
(Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Super Lightweight bouts with Chantelle Cameron
After an injury to Serrano scuppered Taylor's chances of an immediate rematch, she looked to the Super Lightweight ranks for her next opponent. The natural opponent? The Undisputed Super Lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron. The fight, Taylor's first in Dublin in the professional ranks, ended in her first professional defeat via Unanimous Decision. But Taylor would return the favor, handing Cameron her first pro loss in the rematch also hosted in Dublin. Taylor was the Undisputed Champion of two weight classes and was named Women's Boxer of the Year for 2023.
Amanda Serrano II
On the cusp of her 25th pro fight, Taylor will face Serrano again. Following a couple of delays to the card, Taylor comes into the fight after 12 months out of the ring, the longest absence of her professional career. But Friday night will be historic — Taylor is set to earn $6 million and Serrano $8 million, unimaginable purses at the start of her professional career just eight years ago. On Friday night, the winner will almost certainly be the new pound-for-pound number one; Taylor will go down as a game changing great of the sport, and she is not done yet.
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