A sold-out Madison Square Garden shook with noise as two modern icons completed their trilogy and five more world title fights filled a long Friday night in New York. Every bout promised belts, bragging rights, or career rescue, and the 20-thousand on hand got tense chess matches, late surges, and plenty of blood for their money.
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano both opened cautiously, circling and missing more than they landed through six rounds. Taylor’s foot feints began to draw mistakes in the seventh, letting her score combinations before Serrano rallied behind body hooks in rounds nine and ten. After ten brisk two-minute sessions the judges sided with Taylor 97-93 twice and 95-95 for a majority nod.
Watch the last minute of Taylor-Serrano 3: Watch
Ellie Scotney unified the super-bantam belts by stepping around Yamileth Mercado’s straight rushes and tagging her with check left hooks all night. Both women were cut in round six, and Scotney shoved Mercado to the canvas in the ninth, but the Englishwoman’s cleaner work earned cards of 100-90 and 98-92 twice.
Alycia Baumgardner edged a stubborn Jennifer Miranda at super-feather. The champion swept the early rounds before Miranda’s pressure made the fourth and sixth swing her way. Baumgardner’s sharper jab and late body work reclaimed momentum to run out 98-92, 98-92, 97-93.
Shadasia Green overturned a slow start, shaking off a point deduction for holding in round four to out-muscle Savannah Marshall over the back half. Green’s right hands to the ribs told late, and she nicked a split decision 96-93, 95-94 versus 96-93 the other way to unify at 168 lbs.
Chenekah Johnson chopped away at Shurretta Metcalf’s mid-section, finally flooring her in round nine to keep the bantamweight trio of titles by TKO at 1:02.
Chantelle Cameron boxed at range, doubled her jab, and mixed straight rights to dominate Jessica Camara 99-91, 99-91, 98-92 for the interim WBC 140-lb strap.
Earlier, Ramla Ali out-pointed Lila Furtado 78-74, 77-75, 77-75; amateur standout Tamm Thibeault stopped Mary Casamassa in five; and MSG’s first all-women mega-card wrapped as an unmistakable success.
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