Katie Taylor edges Amanda Serrano in thrilling and historic fight at Madison Square Garden

Irish champion wins by split decision to retain lightweight titles in front of sold out arena

Irish boxer Katie Taylor (C) celebrates after defeating Puerto Rican boxer Amanda Serrano for the World Lightweight Title fight at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP)

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano together following their fight at Madison Square Garden. AFP

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano pose for photos following their fight at Madison Square Garden. AFP

Katie Taylor celebrates with her belts alongside manager Brian Peters and coach Ross Enamait. AFP

Katie Taylor lands a left hook on Amanda Serrano. AFP

Katie Taylor connects with a left punch on Amanda Serrano. AFP

Katie Taylor trades punches with Amanda Serrano. AFP

Amanda Serrano lands a right hand on Katie Taylor. Getty

Katie Taylor throws a right hand at Amanda Serrano. AFP

Katie Taylor trades punches with Amanda Serrano. Getty

Amanda Serrano throws a jab at Katie Taylor. Getty

Katie Taylor celebrates after winning by a split decision the undisputed world lightweight championship. EPA

Katie Taylor punches Amanda Serrano during the sixth round. AP

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano together after their fight at Madison Square Garden. Getty

Katie Taylor retained her world lightweight titles in a thrilling and historic bout at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night after edging Amanda Serrano in a split decision.

In the first women's boxing fight to headline the famous arena in New York City, Taylor looked in danger of getting stopped midway through the contest but managed to come through on two of the three judges' scorecards.

Brooklyn-based Serrano pummelled Taylor in the fifth round, but the bloodied champion held on and reasserted herself as the pair went toe-to-toe over the final rounds of a breathless contest to edge the decision and remain unbeaten after 21 professional bouts.

"I had to dig deep," Taylor said. "I knew I'd be in the trenches at some stage. She is a phenomenal fighter, a great, great person."

Serrano, the unified featherweight world champion, has 42 prior victories including 30 knockouts.

Despite stepping up two weight divisions to face Taylor, Serrano was more effective in the middle rounds and staggered the Irishwoman in the fifth.

Blood was flowing from Taylor's nose by the end of the sixth, but Serrano failed to press home the advantage and the Irishwoman regrouped to land the more telling shots in the seventh, eighth and ninth.

The 10th and final round saw them battling blow-for-blow until the final bell, when Canadian referee Michael Griffin gathered them in and the fighters exchanged a hug.

Judge Benoit Rousel scored it 96-94 for Serrano, but judge Guido Cavalleri saw it 96-93 for Taylor and Glenn Feldman scored it 97-93 for the champion.

"We put on a hell of a show," Serrano said in the ring. "Women can sell! Women can fight! We put on a show."

With a sellout crowd of 19,187 offering fierce support for both fighters, southpaw Serrano boxed on the front foot with a series of punishing blows snapping Taylor's head back in the fifth.

Serrano targeted Taylor's body in the sixth, but the champion fought back fiercely and the cheers were so loud at the end of the round that they drowned out the closing bell.

The 10th was a dogfight, the fighters trading punches in the centre of the ring before Taylor emerged with her sixth defence of the undisputed title she has held since beating Delfine Persoon in 2019 to capture all four belts.

Her dominant professional career followed a stellar amateur career that included Olympic gold in London in 2012.

Serrano suffered only her second loss and her first for a decade having won 28 straight bouts since defeat to Frida Wallberg in April, 2012.

The prospects are that she could get another shot at Taylor with a lucrative rematch tempting both fighters.

"Let's do it again, Amanda," Taylor said, as they were interviewed in the ring.

"Whatever she wants," Serrano said.