Sport

Katie Taylor in line to fight Amanda Serrano at the Sphere in Las Vegas

Date in early June could be announced this week after Dublin fight with Chantelle Cameron fell through

Katie Taylor celebrates after defeating Amanda Serrano by split decision to remain the undisputed lightweight champion of the world at Madison Square Garden in April 2022. Photograph: J Yim/Getty Images

Chris McNulty
Sun Apr 7 2024 - 14:03

Katie Taylor looks set for a Las Vegas showdown with old foe Amanda Serrano after plans for another fight in Dublin were shelved.

Now, Taylor and Serrano are expected to clash at the Sphere in early June, with an announcement from Taylor’s promoters Matchroom expected this week.

A May 25th date had been earmarked for a possible trilogy against Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena, but those hopes have faded, while a Croke Park date for the 2012 Olympic champion appears as distant as ever.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn has opened talks with Serrano’s team and it seems as if the Puerto Rican (46-2-1) is keen on a rematch with Taylor (23-1).

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“There is a good chance she could fight Serrano next,” Hearn said. “Absolutely, the Serrano rematch is an option for the next fight. It would be a huge fight.”

Southpaw Serrano lost a controversial split decision against Taylor in April 2022 in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York, when the world lightweight belts were on the line.

Serrano defeated Sarah Mahfoud to win the WBO, WBC, IBF, IBO world featherweight titles five months later before adding the WBA version with a victory over Erika Cruz Hernandez.

Serrano is believed to be keen for a swift bout after a freak injury ruled her out of a homecoming bout against Nina Meinke.

Just minutes before their fight at Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan was due to get under way, it was cancelled.

Serrano was deemed unfit to compete due to an eye injury caused by a hair product she had used two days beforehand.

While Cameron and Alycia Baumgardner, the world super featherweight champ, have been touted as possible opponents for Taylor’s next outing, the possibilities for a Serrano rematch have reopened.

Hearn said: I think it is the fight that makes sense for Katie Taylor. A stateside fight is definitely appealing after the success of their fight at Madison Square Garden. Katie wants the biggest fights.”

A crowd of 19,187 saw Taylor claim a split decision win over Serrano two years ago.

In the lead-in to that doomed meeting with Meinka, Serrano said of a possible dance with Taylor: “For Katie, if she doesn’t want to do the three minutes, I will accept it and do the two – because I think this time I will get the knock-out.”

In March, Cameron, who split with trainer Jamie Moore in the wake of defeat to Taylor in November, claimed that she accepted a ‘massive purse reduction’ for a third bout with the Irish star.

Cameron claimed the reason the fight was not happening was “down to Katie and her team and not me”.

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