The judges all scored the bout 95-94 in Taylor's favor. This rematch of their epic first encounter in April 2022 proved just as thrilling and controversial as the original.
Taylor's victory didn't come without its share of drama. She faced a point deduction for alleged headbutts, while Serrano battled through a bad cut for much of the fight. The close nature of the contest led to differing opinions among boxing experts and fans.
The Netflix broadcast team and some big names in boxing thought Serrano deserved the nod. However, top fighters like Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson backed Taylor's win.
"Taylor won them last rounds," Crawford tweeted after the fight.
Stevenson agreed with Crawford's assessment. He shared his thoughts on social media:
"I think Katie won tho."
He also criticized the commentators, accusing them of influencing viewers' perceptions of the fight.
Other fighters chimed in with their takes. Claressa Shields praised Serrano's performance but didn't think she won. Shawn Porter felt Serrano deserved the victory, while Liam Smith backed Taylor.
The fight stats added another layer to the debate. CompuBox reported that Serrano landed 125 of 216 punches in the final two rounds, showing her strong finish.
Dan Rafael, a respected boxing journalist, criticized Team Serrano for what he saw as "sour grapes" following the decision.
This battle between two legends of women's boxing lived up to the hype generated by their first meeting. In April 2022, Taylor won by split decision in another razor-close contest.
The debate over who truly deserved the victory will likely continue, but one thing's for certain – Taylor vs Serrano 2 delivered another memorable night for boxing fans.