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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano predictions from the world of boxing

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will make history tonight when they become the first women to headline a boxing event at Madison Square Garden.

Taylor defends her lightweight world titles against the Puerto Rican, who has won an incredible nine world title belts across seven different weight categories.

For the first time in her career, Taylor comes into a fight as the underdog, with the bookies installing challenger Serrano as the favourite.

But a number of people in boxing believe the 2012 Olympic champion will have her arm raised in victory.

Here's what they have said:

Kellie Harrington

“I can’t make a prediction as I don’t know what Serrano is like but I really hope that Katie does the business.

“From one Irish person to another hopefully she will do it.

“For me personally I don’t want to go professional, I’ll be staying amateur.

“The fact is that professional boxing is a business. If I want to be a business person I’ll set up a business. I don’t need to get punched in the head for it.”

Kellie Harrington and Katie Taylor in 2016 (©INPHO/Donall Farmer)

Barry McGuigan

"Katie Taylor has been a torch-bearer for women’s boxing, an inspiration to so many kids and the major reason women’s boxing was embraced by at the Olympic Games.

"After a glittering amateur career that included five world championships and an Olympic gold medal, it is entirely fitting she should be involved in the first female pro bout to top the bill at Madison Square Garden in New York.

"The defence of her lightweight titles against Amanda Serrano on boxing’s hallowed stage is a measure of how far women’s boxing has come. It is also the hardest fight of her professional career so far.

"Though Serrano is coming up from featherweight she is arguably the most talented fighter in women’s boxing. Her punches are hard and accurate and she has been a pro much longer. I don’t know that Taylor’s style has changed that much since the amateurs and of late she has shown signs of slowing.

"Taylor throws in bunches but does not place her shots with power. Only six stoppage wins in 20 bouts is proof of that. That’s the big difference in the pros. In any combination one punch has to have the money on it. Because of her long career in the amateurs I don’t think she has ever quite got that. In the last couple of fights it seems to me that opponents have worked her out. She is not hurting them like Serrano does and is more hittable.

WThis fight has come at the perfect time for Serrano, whereas for Taylor it coincides with the onset of decline. Taylor still has a great chin and is super fit, but looks predictable all of a sudden. Even legends start to tire. Because of Serrano’s natural power and speed I fear this could be one fight too many for Katy. What she has achieved as an amateur will never be forgotten nor repeated. I hope I’m wrong but I think Serrano wins."

Eddie Hearn

“Katie Taylor looks so good and so fresh. I’m actually going for a Katie Taylor late stoppage in this fight and I don’t think that’s going to be a common pick from people but I just feel like she’s got that eye of the tiger.

“People look at Katie sometimes and think ‘softly spoken, oh she’s such a nice girl’ and she is, but she’s a fierce competitor and she really wants to do a job on Amanda Serrano.

“It’s going to be a great fight.”

Claressa Shields

"Amanda Serrano needs to go in there and impose her will on Katie Taylor, don’t go and box with Katie Taylor.

"Katie is slick, she’s fast, she doesn’t care to be on the inside and the outside, but she does have problems with pressure fighters. She can’t perform and use her great skills if you just come and attack her.

"We’ve seen that in fights with Delfine Persoon and her fight with Jessica McCaskill. Even though she won those fights, they were very lucky and she wasn’t able to look as good as she always looks."

She added: "Katie needs to go to Amanda Serrano’s body.

"Amanda Serrano is a big puncher, if you don’t take the wind out of her, you’re going to get [hit] with those big shots all night.

"So one, she needs to go to the body, keep that speed, keep that skill and never stand in front of her, and I believe she could get the victory.

"If I have to give a decision, I’d say Amanda Serrano split decision."

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