Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano – a battle for legacy AND equality

The most celebrated boxing main event this weekend is objectively not as big as the one that preceded it, nor the headliner that will follow, but the fact it appears to be garnering considerably more coverage than an excellent male world title unification match on the same Saturday night serves as testament to Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano and just how far female boxing has come. It may not be the spectacle that Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte was, it cannot boast the global star power of Canelo, who meets Dmitry Bivol next week, exclusively live on DAZN like the female megafight, but Taylor’s clash with Puerto Rican southpaw Serrano, in a way, means more than both those mega-events combined.

For this showdown, which pits two of the best three women boxers, pound for pound, is not only about individual legacy but its symbolic and practical impact upon the sport as a whole.

Until around five years ago, female boxing remained either a rarity, a novelty or both, despite the admirable efforts of true pioneers like Christy Martin and Jane Couch. Huge strides have since been made, aided by the increased inclusivity in the amateur code – where Ireland’s Taylor first exhibited her exquisite skills and became a national hero – leading to women’s boxing ultimately being added to the Olympics at London 2012, where she of course won gold. The female pro game may still lack depth and early finishes, compared to the men, but as a result it is the knockout power and ability to traverse weight-classes that have helped make seven-division queen Serrano a star.

Both ladies have been quick to credit promoters Eddie Hearn and Jake Paul in the lead-up to this historic contest, the first female fight to main event Madison Square Garden, and not solely because they are signing the cheques. Hearn’s first Fight Camp, staged at Matchroom Boxing’s headquarters during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, showcased female boxers to an extent rarely seen before. Critics contend this was due at least partly to the women representing significantly cheaper labour than their male counterparts at a time when paid attendance was limited, but the positive effect was undeniable. Exciting fights like Terri Harper vs Natasha Jonas, which headlined Week 2, and Taylor’s rematch with Delfine Persoon, chief support on the concluding card, proved to a wide – and captive – audience that women’s fights could be as compelling and competitive as the men, more so in fact.

As for Paul, despite all the criticism regarding his presence in the sport, it’s hard to argue with the way in which the influencer has wielded his power to shine a light on the women, not to mention the ongoing disparity in pay and prominence between the genders. By placing women in marquee positions on his undercards and talking female boxing up with regularity, Paul is using his platform to affect real and welcome change. It may well simultaneously benefit him, as it certainly does Hearn, but the greater good has been well served.

We have seen a prolific rise in the number of females applying for professional boxing licenses across the globe in the last two years, and they must surely be encouraged by the increased prominence and respect afforded to their role models, not to mention the money now at stake. Entering professional boxing is a realistic career goal for young girls and that is largely thanks to elite fighters like Taylor and Serrano, and the support network growing around them.

If complete equality is the end goal for women’s boxing, well, we’re not there yet and, honestly, may not reach that point in my lifetime. Coverage, pay and respectful perception still lag far behind their male counterparts, but, gradually, attitudes are changing.

Taylor vs Serrano both honours those who have come before and helps brighten the landscape for female fighters of the future. So regardless of who wins, that is in itself a significant victory.

*Click Here to sign up to DAZN for just £7.99/month and stream the Taylor vs Serrano fight this weekend, followed by the biggest star in boxing, Canelo Alvarez, on May 7.