Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 2 betting tips: Will it be repeat or revenge as women's boxing icons run it back in Texas?

By Simon Head

Jake Paul vs Tyson Fury: full fight card

• Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson – heavyweight 
• Katie Taylor (c) vs Amanda Serrano – for the undisputed super lightweight title 
• Mario Barrios (c) vs Abel Ramos - for the WBC welterweight title 
• Neeraj Goyat vs Whindersson Nunes – super middleweight
• Shadasia Green vs Melinda Watpool – super middleweight
• Lucas Bahdi vs Corey Marksman – lightweight
• Bruce Carrington vs Dana Coolwell – featherweight

The biggest fight in women’s boxing history will get a second chapter as two of the sport’s all-time greats clash once more in the co-main event of the upcoming Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson card in Arlington, Texas. 

The AT&T Stadium, home to NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, will play host to a huge card, with Taylor and Serrano’s eagerly-anticipated rematch likely to deliver the fight of the night after the pair served up 2022’s fight of the year in their first encounter. 

Taylor took the victory on that occasion via split decision. Now they’ll run it back with both women looking to make a definitive statement in the rematch to leave no doubt over who the best women’s boxer on the planet really is.

Tale of the tape: Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 2

Katie Taylor: can the 'First Lady' of Irish boxing separate herself from the pack?

To say that Katie Taylor is an Irish sporting icon would be an understatement. The 38-year-old world champion has transcended the sport in her native land through her memorable battles inside the ring and her natural charm and warm personality outside it. But, unlike her compatriot, former UFC champion Conor McGregor, Taylor draws headlines purely for her sporting achievements and is as clean-cut a star as you’ll find in the sport.

As an amateur, she was nothing short of brilliant. A six-time European champion and five-time world champion, Taylor’s crowning moment came at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where she captured gold in the lightweight division. She turned pro to great fanfare in November 2016 and within her first 12 months had captured the WBA lightweight title with a decision win over Anahi Ester Sanchez in Cardiff, Wales. 

The titles kept on coming for Taylor as she attained undisputed champion status at 135 pounds and defended it against all-comers, including Serrano, who she narrowly defeated on the scorecards at Madison Square Garden back in April 2022. Then, in May 2023, she moved up to 140 pounds in a bid for two-division undisputed glory but was edged out by England’s Chantelle Cameron via majority decision at Dublin’s 3Arena. 

A rematch was immediately booked and Taylor returned to the 3Arena and returned the favour by claiming a majority decision win of her own to dethrone Cameron and become a two-division undisputed world champion.

Now she’s set to put those titles on the line in a rematch against Serrano on a night that could decide who sits at the very top of women’s boxing’s all-time greats list.

Amanda Serrano: can ‘The Real Deal’ extend her dominance to another weight class?

Put simply, Amanda Serrano is one of the best female boxers ever to step through the ropes. The 36-year-old has been nothing short of prolific in a stellar career that has seen her capture a staggering nine world championships across seven different weight classes.

In a 50-fight career that saw her capture her first world title in just her 13th pro fight, Serrano failed to win just three times, with two defeats and one draw. Also, she’s never been stopped in her 15-year professional career. 

After cementing herself as the unified featherweight world champion in 2021, Serrano moved on to challenge Taylor for the undisputed lightweight crown in April 2022 and battled back and forth in a losing effort as she was narrowly edged on the scorecards via split decision. Since then, Serrano added the IBF and WBA featherweight titles to her resume as she became the undisputed champion at 126 pounds. 

Earlier this year, Serrano stopped 14-1 Stevie Morgan in a super lightweight bout to get herself ready to face Taylor in their second meeting at 135 pounds.

And, with the first bout going to the wire, Serrano will be keen to ensure she leaves no doubt over the outcome with a decisive performance in the rematch.

Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 2: the key factors

The saying goes that no two fights are the same and the second meeting between Taylor and Serrano will see both women head into the bout in very different positions compared to their first meeting. Let’s take a look at the key factors that could decide the rematch.

The first important factor to consider is that Taylor and Serrano now know each other much better than they did in the first fight. They know each other’s timing, cadence, speed and power. They know that they were able to take each other’s best shots and go the distance in a fight that saw the pair trade big shots in one of the best women’s fights we’ve ever seen. 

The question now is what will Taylor and Serrano do with that knowledge and how different will their respective approaches be as a result of that first meeting? Both women have had world title rematches before in their careers – Taylor against Chantelle Cameron and Serrano against Heather Hardy – and both won them. The question now is who will adapt best to the other, or who will make a crucial tweak to their fighting style to give them the key advantage in the rematch?

Another crucial factor and one that could potentially be the difference-maker in the fight, is the fact that they are fighting in a higher weight class. Last time out, Serrano moved up from her usual weight class of 126 pounds to challenge Taylor for her 135-pound undisputed lightweight title. But this time they will do battle for Taylor’s newly-won undisputed super-lightweight crown, at 140 pounds.

For Taylor, that’s an increase of five pounds from her optimal division of lightweight, while for Serrano, it’s a whopping 14-pound increase. Whoever that weight difference benefits most will likely win the fight. For Serrano, it could allow her to put even more power behind her punches. For a fighter with 31 career knockouts to her name, that could be dangerous for Taylor, who was clipped a few times in their first meeting. With a few more pounds behind those shots, how will the Irish superstar’s chin hold up?

However, the more likely benefit will come over the long haul. Carrying extra weight in a back-and-forth war can be a real drain, especially if you’re not used to doing it. While Serrano did fight at 140 pounds last time out, she got the job done inside two rounds, so her gas tank at the higher weight is still untested. For Taylor, it's only five pounds up from her usual weight class, so it should feel much more natural for her. Serrano will be carrying significantly more weight than in past title fights. That extra weight could potentially become a burden in the later rounds.

FIRST’s top tip for Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 2

Serrano is a formidable foe and one of the greatest women to ever lace up a set of boxing gloves and if the rematch was contested at 135 pounds, it would be much closer to a coin-flip matchup. But the additional five pounds tilts the advantage firmly towards Taylor is our pick to claim a second victory over Serrano on the scorecards after 10 more action-packed rounds.

PICK: KATIE TAYLOR TO WIN BY DECISION

Extra tips

With the fight being contested at a higher weight, two factors, slower speed and heavier punches, could mean the chances of a stoppage victory are higher than the odds suggest. A mid-rounds stoppage win for Serrano in Round 5-6 looks outstanding value at 50/1 (Paddy Power), while a bet on Taylor to use the additional weight to gradually grind down Serrano for a stoppage win (at any time) is a solid 11/1 (BetVictor).

Odds correct at the time of writing.