Boxing News writer John MacDonald has assessed whether Katie Taylor is the greatest female boxer of all-time.
On Friday, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will serve up the latest instalment of their epic fight series, as the Irishwoman, once more, puts all four of the super-lightweight world titles on the line.
The pair are indelibly linked after two frenetic fights which elevated the profile and reputation of women’s boxing.
They made history together, in 2022, as the first women to headline a bout at Madison Square Garden. Expectations were high, but, somehow, they managed to surpass them with a battle fought at a breathtaking pace, full or skill and heart.
Their second meeting, last November, once more broke records, as an estimated 74 million viewers streamed the bout on Netflix. Sure, a substantial proportion of those would have tuned in solely for the circus act that was Jake Paul against the ghost of Mike Tyson, but those who caught the chief support were treated to another classic.
On both occasions, it was Taylor who had her hand raised after 10 utterly captivating rounds, but each time, the London 2012 Olympic gold medallist, prevailed by the slimmest of margins.
Now, they return to the scene of their first brutal encounter, headlining an all-female card, which will showcase some of the best fighters in women’s boxing.
The sport has come a long a way in a short period of time. Yes, female fighters can be traced back to the 1700s, but in the intervening time period, boxing has been; banned, reluctantly allowed to exist and, then, seen as a side show.
Not anymore.
Individually, and collectively, they have taken female fighting to new heights, but can either Taylor or Serrano be considered the greatest of all-time?
To answer that, we must first look at those who came before them.
Between 1975 and 1978, a series of legal challenges saw women gain the right to fight in the U.S, with Caroline Svendsen being the first to receive a license to fight in America, from the state of Nevada. She was subsequently joined by, the high-profile trio, Cathy Davis, Marian Trimiar and Jackie Tonawanda, who won their battle with the New York State Athletic Commission.
These pioneers struggled to gain credibility, and while their contribution to the sport is pivotal, none achieved greatness.
Some observers consider the 1996 clash between Christy Martin and Deirdre Gogarty to be the birth of modern-day professional women’s boxing. Their bloody, brutal six-round war on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s destruction of Frank Bruno captured the attention of mainstream audiences.
Martin won and landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a result, becoming the reluctant face of the sport. ‘The Coal Miner’s Daughter’ could fight, but lacked opponents to cement her status as the best to have laced up a pair of gloves.
The West Virginia native did have a natural rival, who could have elevated her status in the manner that Taylor and Serrano have for each other, in Lucia Rijker.
The former kickboxing world champion passed the eye-test, appearing the most gifted of the burgeoning crop of female fighters. Despite being in the same weight-class and having had a physical altercation outside the ring, the Dutchwoman and Martin never met inside it.
Rijker struggled to find willing opponents and retired undefeated, with the best win of her career coming against Jane Couch – the Englishwoman who took the British Boxing Board of Control to court to secure her right to fight in her home country.
‘The Dutch Destroyer’ found acting opportunities easier to come by than credible fights, playing a significant roll in Million Dollar Baby. She remains the great ‘What if?’
While those in the Martin business felt Rijker posed too high a risk, for too little reward, the economics of a fight with Laila Ali were more appealing. The daughter of Muhammad Ali had been involved in a high-profile blockbuster against Jacqui Frazier-Lyde – who’s father was Joe Fraizer.
Martin went from super-lightweight to super-middleweight and was, predictably, halted in four rounds.
Ali was a star, of sorts, but the talent pool was particularly shallow. Her 24-0 record is impressive on paper, but lacks the depth.
For a long time, Cecilia Braekhus became the torch-bearer for women’s boxing during her six year reign as undisputed welterweight champion, from 2014 to 2020.
‘The First Lady’ is still fighting at the age of 43, but her peak years did not coincide with the influx of talent into the sport following the Rio 2016 Olympics.
That brings us to the modern day.
The three women who stand above all others are: Taylor, Serrano and Claressa Shields. Each has a case to be considered the best female fighter in history.
Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs) has won world titles in seven different weight classes. The Puerto Rican has jumped up and down the divisions for opportunities. While she lacks a single stand-out win, the manner in which she has pushed, the naturally bigger, Taylor to the brink is a testament to her ability.
Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs) who has gone undisputed at lightweight and super-lightweight has the deepest résumé with wins over: Jessica McCaskill, Delfine Persoon, Natasha Jonas and Serrano. She did suffer a shock defeat to Chantelle Cameron, but avenged it sixth months later.
The biggest criticism of the Irishwoman is that she wins her biggest fights by the slimmest of margins, but the counter-point to that is that she is facing high-level opposition.
Finally, Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) the self-proclaimed, ‘Greatest Woman of All-Time.’ The American is a classy operator who has won titles in five weight classes. In many ways, the two-time Olympic gold medallist is the antithesis of Taylor, she dominates her opponents, but does not have the same depth to her ledger.
It is worth noting that, when faced with her biggest challenge, the Flint native handily outpointed Savannah Marshall, in England.
Ultimately, Shields is likely the best female fighter to have lived, while Taylor is the greatest.
