19:13 ET
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Mike Coppinger
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Michael Rothstein
CloseESPN freelance writer
- Earlier reported by the University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com
- He also covered Notre Dame for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
NEW YORK – Seconds passed in battle and Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano stood in the middle of the ring, not caring a bit about the protection of his face, posture or something like that. The hands were constantly thrown on both sides, one after the other, one after the other.
Serano was bleeding around his eye. Taylor bleeds around his nose. What was declared the biggest fight in the history of women’s boxing corresponded to the huge noise – two of the three best fighters of their generation did everything possible to end the fight under the conditions they wanted.
It was a duel that was something beautiful – a split decision with a split score of 97-93, 96-93, 93-97 for Taylor over Serrano, with Taylor retaining his undisputed lightweight title.
Read the full summary of the battle here …
In Las Vegas, Shakur Stevenson and Oscar Valdes will face off at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to combine two junior titles in the lightweight division. Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) makes his first WBO title defense, which he won by a technical knockout victory in the 10th round over Jamel Herring in October. Valdes (30-0, 23 KOs) upset Miguel Berchelt in 2021 to win his WBC title, and he successfully defended his belt with a unanimous decision to win over Robson Conceicao in September.
Mike Koppinger summarizes the action in Vegas, while Michael Rothstein covers the fight in New York.
The battle is underway in Las Vegas: Oscar Valdes vs. Shakur Stevenson, 12 rounds, for the Valdes title at the WBC Lightweight Championships and Stevenson at the WBO Lightweight Junior Championships
Valdez-Shakur round by round analysis
Round 6: Shakur destroyed Valdez at the beginning of the round with a right hook, which caused Valdez to stumble into the ropes before a second right hand knocked him off the lane when he was already out of balance. 10-8, Stevenson. 60-53, Stevenson.
Round 5: Now Stevenson relaxes his arms more. He continues to score from right to left to the body placed by the blow of the left-hander. Valdes doesn’t throw almost enough. He sits at the end of this long punch and eats punches. Valdes cuts under his right eye. 10-9, Stevenson. 50-45, Stevenson.
Round 4: Valdes finally goes to the body after making his way inside, but can’t control himself. Stevenson continues to strike Valdes in the face. Effective, but still no fireworks. 10-9, Stevenson. 40-36, Stevenson.
Round 3: Closer, as Valdes passes a few right hands at the beginning of the frame, but Stevenson returns right to the shot and now mixes a few left hands to the body. Valdes is trying to turn this into a fierce battle, but has ignored the physical attack. 10-9, Stevenson. 30-27, Stevenson.
2nd round: Stevenson’s strike is still a favorite weapon. Valdes tried to pass him with some punches and succeeded late, but the advantage in speed and size that Stevenson enjoys is also great. 10-9, Stevenson. 20-18, Stevenson.
1 round: Shakur Stevenson dictates the pace with his excellent left-footed shot. Valdes seldom passed him. The best shot of the round was a powerful counter-attack from Stevenson’s left, although Valdes hit right-handed late. 10-9, Stevenson.
Shakur is booed. The crowd definitely supports Valdes at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Ring spokesman Mark Shunok introduces the fighters. The battle is next!
Oscar Valdes is already in the ring. Shakur Stevenson, dressed in purple and gold robes, makes his way to the ring with welterweight champion Terence Crawford behind him.
Taylor-Serrano analysis round by round
Round 10: Good protection from Taylor. Serrano, while fighting the whole battle, tried to be an aggressor. But Taylor’s style made it difficult. In addition, Taylor struck enough to take the round. Taylor injured Serrano in the last round. Taylor 10-9. 95-95.
Round 9: Serrano seems to have staggered Taylor a few times and also made a few good shots of her body, enough to get her in a circle. Serrano 10-9. 86-85, Serrano.
Round 8: Taylor did well, avoiding Serrano’s progress, and did well when he had the opportunity. Taylor 10-9. 76-76.
Round 7: Slower round for both fighters. Serrano was late with a few shots, which could have given her that, but she could go in any direction. Serrano 10-9. 67-66, Serrano.
Round 6: Another close circle. Taylor made a few effective shots, but Serrano just kept coming and going. Serrano also had a lot of smart land, but Taylor could have more than that. Taylor 10-9. 57-57.
Round 5: Serrano dominant. Only in the corner for almost half and punishes her. Taylor fought back to draw, but Serrano made much more effective shots as Taylor tried to push her. Serrano 10-9. Serrano 48-47.
Round 4: Taylor controlled this round. While Serrano was more aggressive, Taylor was able to respond and resist effectively, while landing enough to put pressure on Serrano. Taylor 10-9. 38-38.
Round 3: Another close round, but Serrano struck harder, including a series of them in the last 30 seconds to take the round. Serrano 10-9. Serrano 29-28.
2nd round: Taylor showed more aggression this round and found ways to avoid Serrano’s power. A closer circle, but Taylor may have done enough attack and defense to get him out. Taylor 10-9. 19-19.
1 round: Amanda Serrano seemed to be the aggressor throughout the round, including making Katie Taylor in the corner for part of the round. Serrano, 10-9.
Ring announcer David Diamante has just finished his performance and the fight is about to begin.
Now it’s Katie Taylor’s turn. She makes her way to the ring – very slowly – wearing a black, gold and silver robe.
Amanda Serrano, dressed in the red, blue and white colors of the Puerto Rican flag, walks to the ring in the crowded Madison Square Garden. Jake Paul walks with her.
Results:
Ali Walsh scored a mandatory knockout of Ibara in the first round
Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Mohamed Ali, scored a spectacular knockout in the first round of his debut in his hometown.
Ali Walsh (5-0, 4 KOs) connected with an overhead on the right, ending the middleweight bout against Alejandro Ibara with 10 seconds left in the first round.
Ibara (7-2, 2 KOs), a 28-year-old from Denver, had a four-game winning streak.
Ali Walsh, 21, who became a professional in August, had a technical knockout in the second round in January.
“It’s just proof of all the work I’ve done,” said Ali Walsh. “Things like that happen when you put in the work. I bring my grandfather back to life and that’s why my mother becomes so emotional because she sees her father again and hears her father’s name for me.
Davis stops Sanchez for his fifth victory
Kishon Davis continued his development with another dominant performance, this time a technical knockout in the sixth round of Esteban Sanchez.
The Olympic silver medalist connected with 157 strokes with only 20 from Sanchez, a complete beating from bell to bell.
The 23-year-old Norwalk, Virginia, unloaded a powerful blow after a force on helpless Sanchez when the referee mercifully stopped him with 16 seconds to go in the 6th round.
Davis (5-0, 4 KOs) could compete for the world title in 2023. Sanchez (18-2, 8 KOs) from Mexico, meanwhile, lost for the third time in four battles.
Smith stops Vargas in a great performance
Junior middleweight Liam Smith, left, bloodied Jesse Vargas for a technical knockout victory in the 10th round of Madison Square Garden in New York. Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile via Getty Images
It was just too much in the end. Liam Smith kept throwing and throwing, and Jesse Vargas could do nothing. Several rounds were like that, and in the 10th round the corner of Vargas saw enough. Their fighter would not win the battle.
And he was too punished.
So they threw the towel in 10 rounds, saving their fighter more brutality. This gave Smith of Liverpool, England, his second consecutive knockout victory, this time over Vargas in the co-main event. His supporters in the crowd exploded in fists and jumped like one of the clubs in the Matepacking area of that city, with Smith teasing them from inside the ring.
Strike statistics
StrikesVargasSmithTotal Throws 139245Total Throws 654816Percent21% 30% Strikes3224Ejected Strikes272297Percent12% 8% Power 107221Ejected Power382519Percent28% 43% Comp– Courtesy
Smith (31-3-1, 18 KO) dominated all the time. It was a tough fight until the last two rounds, when Vargas was trying to build a counter defense.
In the middle of the fight, the white trunks of the two boxers were stained with blood. While back and forth, Smith kept Vargas (29-4-1, 11 KOs) on the ropes. While Las Vegas’s Vargas defended well from that position, Smith was clearly the aggressor, throwing varying amounts of powerful blows and blows to Vargas’s body, whose face was bleeding until the start of the seventh round.
As the chanting of “Ole, Ole, Ole” continued through Madison Square Garden, Smith continued his attack. By the end of the seventh, Vargas had suffered many – many – punishments.
Throughout the battle, Smith led Vargas down. Each round was almost a copy of the previous one – Vargas tried to retaliate, but Smith simply moved forward with technical competence and precision. By the ninth, Vargas was barely returning. He was defending himself, but he was more likely trying to survive.
In Las Vegas: Lightweight striker Raymond Muratala (14-0, 12 KOs), 25, from Fountain, California, defeated Jeremy Hill (16-3, 11 KOs), 29, from New Orleans, in Round 3 to mark his ninth straight victory. with stopping.
Crews-Dezurn won the undisputed championship in the super middleweight category
François Crews-Desourne, left, combined the four major super middleweight world titles in a victory with a unanimous decision over Elin Sederoos. Ed Mulholland / Machrum
Franchon Cruz-Desourne began to get a little emotional as she raised her arms in a bending position. She knew what was coming. One by one, the belts …
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