Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano both suspended following trilogy fight under strict rules

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano have both been handed mandatory suspensions following their trilogy fight. The Irish icon, who had won the previous two meetings, won on a majority decision after a tactical battle at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Two of the judges scored the bout 97-93 in Taylor’s favour. The third judge was unable to split them after 10 tight rounds, scoring it 95-95. Taylor ruled out a fourth meeting with the Puerto Rican, but was cagey when asked whether she would continue to fight.

She said: “I don’t know, I just don’t want to fight Amanda Serrano again. She punches too hard. I have a huge ton of respect for Amanda, she’s such a warrior. It’s a pleasure to share a ring with her. We have made history three times. We are history makers forever.

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“I thought I was boxing very smart, she wasn’t able to catch me very much tonight. But it’s always close against Amanda.”

Serrano, who has suffered three of her four professional losses to Taylor, said she had tried to work “smarter, not harder.” The 36-year-old said: “We tried to stay with the long punches and one twos, and it just wasn’t enough.”

Both fighters will now enjoy a period of rest, the initial part of which is obligatory under the rules of the New York State Athletic Commission, which the fight fell under. The commission dictates they cannot fight again for at least seven days, which naturally wouldn’t have occurred anyway.

The rulebook states: “No licensed professional combative sports participant shall be allowed to participate in any combative sport match or exhibition in this State until at least seven days have elapsed since his or her last match or exhibition.”

It adds: “And no licensed combative sports participant shall compete in any combative sport match or exhibition within seven days of competing in such a match or exhibition in this State.”

The third meeting between the two was cagier than their previous clashes, simmering throughout with fewer punches landed. Neither fighter was able to impose themselves early on, with just three punches connecting in the opening round.

With both fighters operating from more of a distance than their previous meetings, Taylor looked to control the centre of the ring and landed some good counter shots as she drew Serrano onto her.

Several rounds could have gone either way as the fight built to a tense climax, Serrano coming forward more and forcing Taylor into a corner in the fifth round, but the champion fought her way out. Taylor was marked under the right eye in the eighth, but edged the final two rounds to secure the verdict.

In the co-headline bout, American Alycia Baumgardner retained her undisputed super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Spain’s Jennifer Miranda.