ALL ROSY IN THE GARDEN

Written off by many, veteran Katie underlines her greatness with a blooming marvellous display on a monumental night for boxing in New York

FROM

ROCKY MARCIANO-JOE Louis, Muhammad Ali-joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis-evander Holyfield, Andy Ruiz Junioranthony Joshua.

Madison Square Garden has witnessed some legendary fights – and now Katie Taylor’s historic win over Amanda Serrano can be added to that list.

Taylor showed tremendous resilience to beat seven-division world champ Serrano by a split decision to retain her undisputed lightweight world title in what is being hailed as an instant classic.

Taylor is proud to have written her name alongside Serrano’s into the folklore of this iconic venue.

“I said before that when you think Madison Square Garden, you think Muhammad Ali-joe Frazier,” she said. “But now everyone will be thinking of Katie Taylor-amanda Serrano.

“It was just a history-making fight and it definitely lived up to expectations.”

Taylor won 97-93 and 96-93 on two of the scorecards, while the other judge gave it to Serrano 96-94, as she retained her WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO crowns.

Eddie Hearn, who co-promoted the fight with Jake Paul, claimed it was the moment when women’s boxing stepped out from the shadow of the men’s sport.

“What you witnessed was one of the greatest fights in the history of Madison

Square Garden,” said the Matchroom chief.

“Now is the night we stop talking about women and men’s boxing and talk just about boxing.”

Paul disputed the result, claiming it was “a draw at best” and Taylor is prepared to give Serrano a rematch in Dublin’s

Croke Park in what could be her final fight.

“A rematch would be phenomenal,” said the Bray woman. “If it was in Dublin, we could sell out Croke Park, 90,000 people.

“That would be unbelievable. This was something special so imagine fighting in front of 80-90,000 at Croke Park.”

A sell-out crowd of just under 20,000 packed into the Garden to see the first women’s fight to headline at this Mecca of boxing and Serrano (left) began aggressively, with Taylor countering well.

Taylor looked like she would go down for only the second time in her career in the fifth when Serrano had her in trouble.

The Puerto Rican cornered her and cut her with a head shot, only for Taylor to show remarkable guts to stay on her feet.

And Taylor swallowed some heavy hooks from the southpaw in the sixth before she recovered to take the last three rounds.

In the 10th, both fighters stood and traded in a tremendous tear-up to the delight of the fans.

“I had to dig deep, I had to produce a career-defining performance to win,” said Taylor, who needed stitches to a cut above her right eye.

“I was in the trenches and showed a champion’s heart.”

Of that heart-stopping fifth round, 35-year-old Taylor added: “I don’t think I was as hurt as people may think. I wasn’t worried. I obviously knew that was a tough, tough round for me and I knew that was Amanda’s round. But I wasn’t concerned or anything.

“I was okay. I was stable coming back to the corner. I just had to regroup, reset and I actually won the round after that.

“So regardless of whether it was a tough round for me or not, I always come back and show the heart I need to come through.”