Taylor had previously bested her Puerto Rican rival in their 2022 encounter, and history repeated itself on Friday as the judges scored the bout 95-94 in her favour.
The fight began with both boxers trading jabs before Taylor landed a solid counterpunch midway through the opening round. Serrano quickly recovered, ending the round with a sharp counter of her own as the bell sounded.
The action Intensified in the second round, with Taylor gaining the upper hand in several exchanges. In the third, Serrano pushed forward aggressively, cornering Taylor against the ropes. However, the Irish champion’s seasoned defence allowed her to land precise counterpunches and maintain pressure on Serrano.
The fourth round was a slugfest, with both fighters connecting on powerful blows. Serrano suffered a cut on her forehead from an accidental headbutt, which worsened in the fifth round. The referee paused the fight in the sixth for the ringside doctor to inspect the wound, but the fight was cleared to continue.
The seventh round brought relentless action, as both fighters absorbed heavy blows but refused to back down. Serrano started strong in the eighth, landing a series of sharp jabs. However, Taylor was warned for leading with her head and later docked a point after further infractions.
In the ninth round, the ferocious exchanges continued. Serrano, hindered by the worsening cut above her eye, missed with several big punches. The final round saw both fighters swinging for the knockout, each landing significant strikes. Taylor closed the bout with a strong finish, pressuring Serrano into the corner.
After the bell, Taylor and Serrano shared a moment of mutual respect, embracing in the ring. However, the predominantly Serrano-supporting crowd voiced their dissatisfaction when Taylor’s victory was announced.
In the main event, Mike Tyson’s return to the ring ended in disappointment as he was beaten by Jake Paul by a decision in an eight-round encounter.
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