Two years after thrilling fans during their undisputed lightweight clash inside New York's Madison Square Garden, the biggest fight in women's boxing history is all set for its long-awaited sequel.
And the stage is somehow even bigger and brighter than the first time around.
Undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) has agreed to defend her titles against four-belt featherweight queen and seven-division champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) in the co-main event of the July 20 clash between Jake Paul and Hall-of-Famer Mike Tyson inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The rematch was announced Tuesday morning on social media by Paul, the 27-year-old social media influencer turned boxer, who is also Serrano's promoter under his Most Valuable Promotions banner. The bout joins Tyson-Paul as part of a unique event that will air live on Netflix to its more-than 260 million subscribers, without a pay-per-view upsell charge.
While it's still unknown the exact ruleset that Paul will compete in against the soon-to-be 58-year-old Tyson in what's expected to be an exhibition, Taylor-Serrano II will be contested under traditional women's boxing rules of two-minute rounds and 10 rounds overall. Serrano, 35, wrote on Instagram on Tuesday that, like their first meeting, she pushed for 12 rounds of three minutes each, just like in men's boxing, but it was Taylor who used her leverage as champion to secure the terms of her choosing, just like in their first meeting.
"Finally!!! I promised my fans this rematch and I wanted it to be 12x3 minute rounds," Serrano wrote. "But Katie wanted 10x2 -- she's the champ, so that is what we will do."
Taylor, the 37-year-old native of Ireland who has become a folk hero in her home country during the years following her run to a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, narrowly edged Serrano via split decision despite being hurt midway through during that fantastic 2022 clash. Not only was the atmosphere inside the arena off the charts that night but the future Hall-of-Fame fighters somehow exceeded expectations coming in ahead of a fight labeled as the most important women's boxing match to date.
"This is the rematch the world has wanted to see and I'm delighted that it's finally happening," Taylor said. "The first fight in New York was obviously an epic occasion and it more than lived up to the billing, and I'm sure the rematch will be no different. I want to thank Matchroom and DAZN for their help in making the fight possible and I'm looking forward to defending my titles as undisputed world champion in Dallas on Saturday, July 20."
Serrano, a proud native of Puerto Rico who fights out of Brooklyn, New York, initially secured an immediate rematch for May 2023 in Ireland but had to withdraw due to a training camp injury. Taylor, instead, moved up to 140 pounds and lost a majority decision to undisputed champion Chantelle Cameron before triumphantly responding with a razor-thin victory in their November rematch.
In the process, Taylor joined Terence Crawford as the only boxers in the four-belt era to become undisputed champions in multiple divisions and the first to do so simultaneously. Serrano, meanwhile, stayed busy by recording four wins since the Taylor loss, including a hard-fought 2023 decision over Erika Cruz in a bloody war which saw Serrano collect all four titles at 126 pounds.
"I believe I won our first fight, but I didn't get the decision, so this time I'm not leaving it to the judges," Serrano said. "I am honored to share this iconic MVP card in the biggest stadium, on the biggest streaming platform in the world.
"And to all the young girls and women watching, I want you to know that anything is possible. Keep dreaming, keep working hard, and never let anyone tell you otherwise. It took me 15 years of blood, sweat and tears to get here, but it's all worth it because I'm living my dreams."
Tyson, who hasn't fought professionally since retiring in 2005, returned for a 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. that produced a staggering 1.6 million PPV buys.
"Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are two of the best boxers in the world," Tyson said. "I know they can both put on an incredible show, and I'm thrilled to have them join this card. These remarkable athletes will undoubtedly elevate the event with their global appeal and fan bases. Adding one of the greatest fights in women's boxing history to this unforgettable event is a true gift to fans. Saturday, July 20 can't get here soon enough."
