On Friday, November 19, 2024, the event between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson drew a lot of attention, but it was the fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano that stole the night. Although the men’s bout attracted controversy, the female fighters put on a great show in the rematch that defined the evening.
Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano in a rematch that sparked debates. The decision was controversial, as many believed the fight was too evenly matched to be decided by points. Taylor took the victory, but the fight left a bittersweet feeling among fans.
Claressa Shields, one of the most prominent figures in women’s boxing, shared her opinion on the fight in a recent interview with Fight Hub TV. According to Shields, the fight was extremely close, with both fighters showcasing their best skills.
“I think the fight was very, very close,” she said. “I thought Katie played from the back foot with great counters and fast hands. I think that’s what won her the fight.”
Shields explained that her approach to scoring fights is round by round, without focusing too much on the overall stance of the fighters or who advanced more in the ring.
In her opinion, the fight was so tight that, if it hadn’t been for the one-point penalty on Katie Taylor, the victory could have gone to Amanda Serrano or the fight could have ended in a draw.
“I don’t really score based on overall things like body language or who’s stepping forward. I score round by round, and that’s how I saw it. But it was very, very close, and when they took the point from Katie, I definitely thought Amanda was going to win or it would be a draw,” said Shields.
The world champion noted that, in her opinion, both fighters showed their strengths but also made mistakes. Shields particularly pointed out the factors she believes worked against Serrano during the fight.
“I think Katie fought her best, and Amanda showed her punching power,” said Shields.
“There were things Amanda didn’t do well. She didn’t cut the ring off properly, she missed a lot of big shots, and she didn’t have upper-body defense,” Shields pointed out.
Katie Taylor’s speed and footwork were crucial, according to Shields, who emphasized that her quick punches and combinations of four or five shots were decisive. Additionally, Shields highlighted how the cut on Amanda Serrano’s eyebrow was a direct result of Katie Taylor’s continuous punches.
Regarding Serrano’s strategy, Shields mentioned that the Puerto Rican fighter didn’t know how to cut the ring effectively and couldn’t close the distances like she had in their first encounter.
“She even got cut here. Katie was throwing with both hands, and Amanda’s shots were hard too. But you can’t just march forward. You’ve got to cut the ring off, you’ve got to set traps. And Amanda didn’t do that tonight,” Shields explained.
Despite the criticism and the controversial decision, Shields also highlighted the impact of the fight on women’s boxing. According to Shields, the women were the real stars of the night. In contrast, the fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, although relevant to many, didn’t have the same impact on traditional boxing fans.
“Listen, women’s boxing won tonight. Being here in front of 60,000 fans, that’s amazing! It’s a dream. And to me, the girls stole the show tonight. Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, well, it was what it was, but the girls absolutely stole the show tonight,” Shields concluded.
It’s important to note that, although Amanda Serrano initially questioned the outcome of her fight with Katie Taylor on social media, she later retracted her comments.
On the other hand, Claressa Shields, on her official ‘X’ account, wrote about the possibility of facing Katie Taylor in the future. The self-proclaimed ‘GWOAT’ pointed out that she has the skills to defeat Taylor.
However, she mentioned that she might have difficulty making a weight between 140 or 147lbs, but also suggested that for a good amount of money, she would take on the challenge.
‘Omg, it’s 1,000s of DMs telling me to go beat Katie 😂😂😂 listen, skillwise, I can do it! But Idk how I can make 140 or 147, y’all gotta call Alycia for this one ☝🏾 or Caroline! Now if they pay GWOAT 6 million! Hell, my strong, Lucious 🍑 will get down there! 🤣,’ Shields wrote on “X”.
Omg it’s 1,000s of DMs telling me to go beat Katie 😂😂😂 listen skillwise, I can do it! But Idk how I can make 140 or 147, y’all gotta call Alycia for this one ☝🏾 or Caroline ! Now if they pay GWOAT 6 million! Hell my strong, Lucious 🍑 will get down there ! 🤣
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) November 16, 2024
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.