New York Revisited: Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano and Friends Again Sold Out Madison Square Garden

 

By David A. Avila

Women’s boxing sells.

Along with selling out Madison Square Garden the all-female boxing card by Most Valuable Promotions featuring Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano 3, drew an average of 6 million viewers worldwide according to Netflix and VideoAmp.

It was a bit of a gamble.

Aside from Taylor and Serrano the all-female boxing card featured multiple world champions from around the world. Some were making their debut in the USA and others were appearing for the first time for American viewers. The boxing card was seen all over the world in 200 countries.

Approximately 4.2 million of those viewers came from the U.S. The fight card reached number one on Netflix in the US, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, and made the Top 10 in 43 countries, wrote Variety publication.

A sell-out crowd of 19,721 viewed the fight card inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ticket sales reached $2.63 million for the event and surpassed the first Serrano-Taylor clash in 2022 that boasted a gate of $1.45 million.

It was another New York hit.

Sure, this boxing card did not reach the monstrous numbers achieved back in November, during the second Taylor and Serrano fight that had iconic heavyweight legend Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul in the lead main event. That boxing show drew a staggering 70 million viewers on Netflix.

The boxing card last weekend did not have a male boxing match. It was all female prizefighters led by the two most recognized female fighters in Serrano and Taylor.

It wasn’t the first time an all-female boxing card had been attempted. Back in the early 2000s several had been staged by promoter Arnie “Tokyo” Rosenthal. On one boxing card in Laughlin, Nevada an all-female boxing card was led by Elena “Baby Doll” Reid and Alicia Ashley.

Reid, now a mother of three, remembers it well.

“Fighting on an all-female card there is great competition,” remembers Reid who participated on several all-female cards including on March 2005. “Two-minutes is just not long enough. You can’t even box. It’s an amateur fight. You are trying to set things up. Two minutes is just not long enough time.”

The former flyweight world champion from Arizona fought from 2000 to 2010. The most she ever made was $16,000 and that was in Germany against very popular Regina Halmich.

Reid watched the Taylor-Serrano third fight and their preceding battles. And is pleased they were all sell-out crowds. During her era, promoters continually claimed female fighters could not draw fans.

“Women should be able to sell out but just the right business and marketing behind them,” said Reid from her business in Phoenix. “I wish we could have made what they are making now. But I’m so happy females can finally get that. It makes it all worthwhile that we did what we did. My heart is happy for that.”

 

Event of the Year

Many current female boxing stars attended the MVP event including a number of world champions like Claressa Shields, Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Mikaela Mayer. Others spotted were sisters Yokasta and Naomy Valle, Tiara Brown, and Seniesa Estrada who provided commentary for Netflix.

It’s not uncommon to see women boxing stars support each other. But now many male boxing stars also attend women’s championship boxing cards. Terence Crawford is one of those seen at many of the female led boxing cards.

 

Judging and Referee Problems

The biggest problem with women’s boxing is the two-minute round. It’s just not enough time to separate one fighter’s work from another. And if one of the fighters is holding too often or running too much, you basically have a lackluster boxing match.

Judges have a horrible time trying to deduce a winner of a two-minute round. It’s a nightmare to determine a winner in 120 seconds. Three-minute rounds is a must for any boxing match. That extra minute is pivotal for judging. Almost every championship fight on the MVP card had judging discrepancies. One glaring score was Ellie Scotney’s win over Yamileth Mercado. One judge gave her every round in a very competitive fight. Scotney was indeed the winner, but Mercado did win a round or two.

Another eyebrow raising moment came during the Cherneka Johnson and Shurretta Metcalf bantamweight clash. The knockdown by Johnson seemed more of a punch and push than an actual knockdown. And when Metcalf got up, the referee Charlie Fitch suddenly called the fight off. It was a poor decision for an important fight. That was two bad decisions in a matter of seconds by the referee.

Many of the fights had surprising scores. I’ve been watching and scoring female bouts for decades and it seems scoring in New York always seems to be off tilt. Judges in NY tend to give style points instead of rewarding punches landed.

In the Shadasia Green versus Savannah Marshall match, a no-holding rule was enforced by Referee Thomas Taylor who was correct in deducting a point from Green after she was warned three times for holding. About 30 seconds were lost in the grappling scenarios. During the last holding scenario that point deduction woke up Green and she went to work.

One more observation: throughout the card, many referees stopped the action unnecessarily to caution a fighter for an infraction. With only 120 seconds each round a referee cannot waste precious seconds by stopping the action and demonstrating what not to do. Just tell them during the action. And if they persist, deduct a point.

 

Merit Badges

Shadasia Green and Savannah Marshall had a very good scrap. At first it seemed the tall British fighter was going to run away with an easy win. But things turned around when Green was penalized for excessive holding.

MVP awarded Green a $250,000 bonus for Performance of the Night. Indeed. She finally put it all together against Marshall who could have given up too. Both fighters gave an excellent performance. It was the best fight of the night.

Of course, the most anticipated match was Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor. Unlike their first two encounters this was more technical and strategic. The furious exchanges seen in their prior meetings did not occur in their third fight. Still, the technique and footwork was superior.

Women’s boxing always had fighters who could perform at a high level, but this was yet another reminder that female boxing can be scientific too.

 

More Fight News

Argentina

Zoe Fernandez (2-0) defeated Tamara Medina (0-1) by decision after five rounds on Saturday July 12. The super fly fight was held in Mar del Plata. Also, middleweight Rocio Bastida (4-1) beat Daiana Ferreyra (0-3) in four.

Edith Matthysse (20-16-1) knocked out Lilian Silva (4-19-2) in the third round on Friday July 11. The super featherweight match was held in Trelew.

On Friday July 18, light flyweights Daniela Molina (3-12-3) and Mia Nava (2-1-2) meet six rounds at Tandil.

On Friday July 18, light flyweights Anabel Ortiz (34-8) and Carolina Ferrari (4-6-3) meet six rounds at Rio Gallegos.

On Saturday July 19, light flies Gabriela Alaniz (16-2) and Daiana Ortiz (5-4-2) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Buenos Aires. Also, super flies Lucia Garcia (2-0) and Jessica Lujan (1-1-2) meet four; and flies Martina Doucet (0-0) and Karen Almendra (1-1) meet four.

 

Australia

On Saturday July 19, super bantams Shanell Dargan (7-2-2) and Kanokwan Wirunpat (4-2) meet eight rounds at Ballarat.

 

China

Die Hu (9-1) beat Jittima Promsaen (2-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday July 12. The lightweight fight took place in Changsha.

 

Colombia

Welkaris Martinez (1-2-1) knocked out Maria Perez (0-1) in three on Saturday July 12. The super middleweight fight was held in Santa Marta.

 

Fiji

On Saturday July 19, super welters Sera Bolatini (0-2) and Connie Chan (6-8) meet eight rounds at Suva. Also, heavyweights Elena Kili (0-0) and Sherilyn Stevens (0-0) meet three rounds.

 

Germany

Lena Venjacob (7-0) defeated Yasmin Al Sayed (0-2) by decision after six rounds on Sunday July 13. The super feather fight was held in Landau.

Mara Zeidler (1-0) knocked out Dajana Bukva (0-16) in the second round on Saturday July 12. The welterweight fight was held in Munich.

On Saturday July 19, super welters Omarah Taylor (4-0) and Erica Alvarez (8-12) meet six rounds at Heidelberg.

 

Italy

Vittoria Parigi (6-1-1) and Maria Luz Peral (7-0-1) fought to a draw after 10 rounds on Sunday July 13. The EBU minimumweight title fight took place in Venice.

Alessia Vitanza (4-5) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Martina Caruso (3-1) on Saturday July 12. The regional featherweight title match was held in Biella.

 

Japan

On Sunday July 20, light flies Misato Sawaki (1-1-1) and Kokono Tado (1-1-1) meet four rounds at Kariya.

 

Kazakhstan

Elina Bazarova (1-0) defeated Sitora Shogdarova (2-1) by decision after four rounds on Friday July 11. The bantam fight was held in Almaty.

 

Kenya

On Saturday July 19, feathers Dorothea Muhoza (1-5-1) and Catherine Nanziri (6-0) meet six rounds at Nairobi.

 

Nigeria

On Saturday July 19, super flies Jennifer Odhegba (2-0) and Popoola Summisola (0-4-1) meet six rounds at Lagos. Also, light heavies Dorcas Emmanuel (2-0) and Aminat Yekini (0-3) meet six.

 

Panama

On Friday July 18, super flies Nataly Delgado (17-7-2) and Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) meet 10 rounds in Panama City.

 

Spain

On Saturday July 19, flyweights Fara El Bousairi (10-6) and Klaudia Ferenczi (20-122-10) meet six rounds at Palma de Mallorca.

On Saturday July 19, super flies Davinia Perez (9-5) and Minerva Gutierrez (6-5) meet 10 rounds for the Spanish title at Las Palmas.

 

Thailand

Katsara Jatpukdee (10-10-1) knocked out Kanyarat Nunoi (9-9-3) in the third round on Sunday July 13. The light fly fight was held in Pathum Thani. Also, flyweight Peeyalux Sanpokang (10-5) knocked out Sunkaya Wiriya (3-5-1) in the fourth; Natthanan Sangiamchit (8-3-1) knocked out Wilasinee Jaksam (2-3) in two and minimumweight Porwa Thamnawat (4-1) knocked out Kiratra Hakrasang (1-1) in four.

Efasha Kamarudin (8-0-1) knocked out Fasai Wongkattaleekham (0-3-1) in one on Saturday July 12. The super fly fight was held in Bangkok.

Mariah Turner (11-1) knocked out Siriphon Chanbuala (17-17-2) in the third round on Saturday July 12. The super bantam fight was held in Pattaya. Also, Leah Reuben (2-2-1) beat Ranee Klinratree (3-8) in four.

 

United Kingdom

On Saturday July 19, flyweights Marie Connan (7-3) and Nicola Hopewell (7-1) meet 10 rounds for IBO world title at Sheffield, England.

 

USA

Stevie Morgan (18-2) knocked out Crystal Garcia (11-4) in the second round on Saturday July 12. The lightweight fight was held in Sioux City, Iowa. Also, Joana Nwamerue (7-0) beat Simone Aparecida (17-37) in six.

Nayeli Rodriguez (5-0-1) defeated Alexis Araiza (3-2-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday July 12. The super fly match was held in El Paso, Texas. Also, bantam Ivy Enriquez (4-0) beat Damiana Andrello (0-1) in four.

Katie Taylor (25-1) defeated Amanda Serrano (47-4-1) by majority decision after 10 rounds on Friday July 11. The super lightweight title match was held in New York City. Also, super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner (16-1) beat Jennifer Miranda (12-1) in 10; Shadasia Green (16-1) beat Savannah Marshall (13-2) in 10 for super middleweight title; bantam champion Cherneka Johnson (18-2) knocked out Shurretta Metcalf (14-5-1) in nine; super bantam champ Ellie Scotney (11-0) beat Yamileth Mercado (24-4); super light Chantelle Cameron (21-1) beat Jessica Camara (14-5-1) in 10; super bantam Ramla Ali (10-2) beat Lila Furtado (11-3) in eight; and middleweight Tamm Thibeault (3-0) knocked out Mary Casamassa (6-1) in five.

 

On Friday July 18, super feathers Gabriela Tellez (5-0) and Elizabeth Chavez (4-8-3) meet six rounds at Orlando, Florida.