Katie Taylor hasn't been this excited for a fight in 'long, long time'

Katie Taylor will have a slight edge in terms of weight after she clocked in a pound heavier than Amanda Serrano at a raucous lunchtime event in midtown Manhattan yesterday

Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano Weigh-In, Madison Square Garden, New York 29/4/2022

Katie Taylor will have a slight edge in terms of weight over her challenger this evening after she clocked in a pound heavier than Amanda Serrano at a raucous lunchtime event in midtown Manhattan yesterday.

The atmosphere was electric at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater as around 2,000 fans gathered for the weigh-in ahead of a contest which puts Taylor’s WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight championships on the line.

Weighing in at 134.6 pounds (just over 61 kg), Taylor was once again in a relaxed and happy mood as she rounded out her media duties with one last brief interview after she hopped off the scales.

“It’s great to see so many fans here, I’m so grateful,” she told DAZN. “I feel great, I’m ready to step in there, and I’m ready to hear those words, ‘And still, world champion’.

"I’m so sick of talking at this stage. This atmosphere here is so, so special - seeing both the Puerto Rican fans and the Irish fans.

“It’s hard not to get excited when you see all the Irish fans and all those Irish flags. This is the most excited I've been before a fight in a long, long time."

Dublin-born WWE wrestler Becky Lynch worked the sizeable Irish section of the crowd into a frenzy as she introduced her compatriot to the stage after Serrano was brought up first by WWE RAW women’s champion Bianca Belair.

“And they say women can’t sell,” said Serrano who recorded a weight of 133.6 pounds (just under 61kg). “I just need to be vintage Amanda Serrano [to win].” 

Taylor (20-0, 6 KOs) is the undisputed lightweight champion while the professional career of Serrano (42-1-1, 30 KOs) stretches further back and across seven divisions.

There will be seven other fights on the card leading into the main event with the action set to start at just after midnight Irish time.

“Forget women’s boxing, forget men’s boxing, this is one of the greatest fights of all-time between two of the greatest to ever lace them up,” promoter Eddie Hearn told the crowd.

“It’s been jovial and we respect Team Serrano but tomorrow night, you’re going to see why Katie Taylor is the best female fighter of all time.”