Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are lighting up New York City ahead of their super-fight at Madison Square Garden.
The two fighters will battle it out in front of a five-figure crowd at the iconic venue on Saturday night with Taylor putting her undisputed lightweight crown on the line.
Fight week preparations are well underway and with media duties aplenty the two women paid a visit to The Big Apple’s Empire State Building where they went face to face for the first time. The landmark will be lit up in the colours of the Irish and Puerto Rican flags on fight night to mark the historic occasion.
Taylor, Ireland’s Golden Girl, is looking forward to the atmosphere at MSG which has played host to some of boxing’s most memorable nights.
“You can almost feel those iconic moments from the past when you are there. There’s going to be a lot of Irish fans in the building, I think it could easily be a 50-50 crowd with a lot of Amanda’s fans too, so it’s going to make for an amazing atmosphere.
“You think of Madison Square Garden, and you think the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier these kinds of fights. It’s years and years later we’re still talking Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier kind of fights. I think years and years later from this fight people are still going to be talking about Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano.”
Not only will Serrano become undisputed lightweight champion should she win, but the 33-year-old will become pound-for-pound number one in women’s boxing and always be remembered as the boxer that took Taylor’s unbeaten record.
The Puerto Rican, already a seven-weight world champion, believes she can now say she has made it.
“Being a Latina from Brooklyn, I’m excited to say, ‘I’ve made it’,” said Serrano. “I’m fighting the main event at Madison Square Garden! I’m making seven figures, a young Latina from Brooklyn. I never thought it could happen.
“I’ve never fought at MSG; I did a tour there recently and then we did the press conference there; I was in awe of it, and I am so honoured to be fighting here. I made history at the Hulu Theatre by becoming seven-weight World champion and I won the Golden Gloves there too – it’s full circle now being able to be headlining in the big room and following some of the greats.”