Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano date agreed with fight to headline Madison Square Garden card as Eddie Hearn says bout is ‘greatest thing to happen to women’s boxing’

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will meet in the ring in a fight promoter Eddie Hearn has said will be the 'greatest thing to happen to women's boxing'.

Taylor, who has won all 20 of her fights to date, will defend her undisputed lightweight title against the Puerto Rican at Madison Square Garden, New York on 30 April.

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The Irish superstar was meant to fight Serrano in 2020 but it was called off due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Taylor, the history-making Olympic gold medallist and two-weight champion will now face a tough task in the face of the seven-division ruler, who is promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions.

“This is a fight I've wanted for a long, long time and I'm just excited for it to finally take place because these are the kind of fights I'm in the sport for,” said Taylor.

“People have been talking about this fight for years and there have been times I wondered if it was ever going to happen so I'm very grateful to Eddie Hearn, everyone at Matchroom, DAZN and Madison Square Garden for getting it over the line.
 
“When I turned professional my goal was to be involved in huge events like this so to headline at Madison Square Garden in a fight of this magnitude is really the pinnacle of the sport. It's such an iconic venue and has been home to so many of the historic moments in boxing and I truly believe this will be another one.”

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Serrano, meanwhile said: “It is a dream come true to have the opportunity to headline Madison Square Garden and do so against one of the greatest boxers of all time in Katie Taylor.

“Since I was a young girl, my only boyfriend has been boxing. I have dedicated my life to him, and this event makes that commitment worth every minute. On April 30th I am going to make history for me, for my team, for my family, for Puerto Rico, for every Latina and Latino and for all women worldwide.”

Chairman of Matchroom boxing Hearn is in no doubt that the fight has the potential to be the best that women's boxing has seen.

"Everyone talks about the biggest fight in women’s boxing, but also, one of the biggest fights in boxing.

"We’ve been working hard for a long time on women’s boxing and I’m just so happy that fight is made and at the mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden.

"They deserve everything they get. Two trailblazers. One undisputed champion, one seven-division champion - it’s going to be a massive event."

Explaining how a breakthrough in talks came about, Anthony Joshua's promoter told the “It was plain sailing, it was too good, it hit a little bit of a rocky patch but we’re almost through that now.

“Everyone wants what they feel is fair for their fighter. They clashed a little bit. It got a little bit spicy but we got some sensible heads on it over the weekend, but let’s not mess this up now. This is the greatest thing to happen in female boxing.”

Taylor won gold at London 2012 as an amateur and has reached 20-0 in her pro career.

She retained her four lightweight titles on December 12, beating Firuza Sharipova via a unanimous decision

Serrano, who has a record 42-1-1, also competes in MMA, but has made her biggest mark in boxing, having claimed titles from super-flyweight all the way up to super-lightweight.