Amanda Serrano has accused Ireland’s Katie Taylor of intentionally headbutting her during their brutal rematch in Texas.
Taylor defended her status as undisputed world light-welterweight champion with a unanimous decision victory over Serrano at the AT&T Stadium on Friday, with the judges scoring the bout 95-94 in her favour.
However, controversy erupted after the decision was handed down when the Puerto Rican used her post-fight interview on Netflix to accuse Taylor of intentional headbutting.
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano react to the decision. #TaylorSerrano #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/xV546GSsVM
— Netflix (@netflix) November 16, 2024
Serrano received a brutal cut above her eye in the fourth round, which was attributed to an accidental headbutt.
Taylor was deducted a point in the eighth round after repeatedly being warned against leading with the head.
Following the fight, Serrano said: “I knew it if went to the judges it was going to be a little shady.
“I chose to be great. I went up three divisions. It is what it is. I’m a featherweight, man.
“She kept headbutting me. It’s what she does.
“It’s not just my fight, it’s all her fights.
“It’s what she does.”
Taylor lands monster hit on Serrano in the 6th round. #TaylorSerrano #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/CuRy65vWnf
— Netflix (@netflix) November 16, 2024
Taylor defended her actions, saying: “I certainly wasn’t fighting dirty.
“It gets rough in there. It was an absolute slugfest, a war.
“This is an amazing moment in women’s boxing.
“Thank god for another amazing fight.”
The encounter was a brutal back-and-forth affair through 10 rounds which, in a lot of ways, mirrored their previous classic at Madison Square Garden in 2022.
Taylor and Serrano embraced each other after the bell, but the heavily pro-Serrano crowd voiced their displeasure as the result was announced.
