Katie Taylor: “If you're a boxer, it's really important that Mike Tyson does well against Jake Paul” | Katie Taylor

WWhen Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano locked in a fight in the final round of their first fight at Madison Square Garden on a feverish night in April 2022, I couldn't help myself. I stood alongside a slew of reporters ringside to watch the final minute of an exciting contest. Suddenly, unaware of the pressing deadlines and the etiquette of rising above such raw human emotions, we were swept up in the courage and determination of both women in one of the greatest battles ever to take place in the Garden.

“It's only in hindsight, when you look back and hear people's reactions, that you think, 'My goodness, that was a huge moment for women in boxing,'” Taylor says now. “You hear stories of young girls who were inspired by that night and how people describe it as historic. Then you just say, “Wow, that was a great night.”

“I think my favorite moment was right before the decision was announced when we both walked around the ring with our arms around each other's shoulders and just accepted the applause from the crowd. The respect we had for each other and what we had just done for the sport meant we were definitely very proud. That’s why it’s really special to have the chance to fight them again.”

It seems bizarre that their long-awaited rematch should now take place on Friday night as main support for a circus stunt in Arlington, Texas, in which a 58-year-old Mike Tyson fights Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber influencer who is trying to become a boxer. Tyson last fought professionally more than 19 years ago when he was beaten and stopped by Kevin McBride, an Irish journeyman. Since then, his lifestyle has been typically stubborn and marked by persistent alcohol and drug problems.

The fight between Tyson and Paul would be ridiculous if it didn't pose serious risks. Tyson was once the fiercest fighter in the world, but now he is just a shattered old shadow of a feared heavyweight champion of the world. Paul has worked methodically to improve his rudimentary boxing skills and the age difference between him and Tyson is 31 years. He is also fit and has a decent shot. But the idea that he should share a ring with the most famous boxer the world has seen since Muhammad Ali is an embarrassment.

In stark contrast, the first fight between Taylor and Serrano captured the best of boxing – and the rematch is full of intrigue and real meaning. Taylor lost her long unbeaten record in May 2023 when she moved up in weight and Chantelle Cameron won a majority decision against her in Dublin. It was suggested at the time that Taylor, now 38, should retire after her long and illustrious amateur and professional career. Taylor was quietly outraged and became the undisputed world super lightweight champion a year ago when she beat Cameron in a rematch.

She and Serrano were scheduled to meet in Texas this July, but the entire promotion had to be postponed after Tyson fell ill due to a flare-up of his stomach ulcer. It was another sign that Tyson-Paul should be scrapped, but with hundreds of millions of dollars being made on Netflix, the entire show was postponed until this week.

Taylor generally avoids interviews, but it helps that we've spoken often over the years. She is typically friendly and polite and has a positive disposition. Understandably, she has also chosen to become a diplomat while focusing on the undisputed opportunity for her and Serrano to show their courage and skills to an entirely new audience.

“It's just a great opportunity because millions and millions of people are going to join this fight,” Taylor says. “I think people are going to see women’s boxing at its best and that’s something really special for the sport.”

Taylor listens to my concerns about the night at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and the fact that Tyson won't be allowed back in the ring to compete. “I definitely have the same concerns,” she admits, “but he looked very good against Roy Jones [in a drawn eight-round exhibition in November 2020]. He definitely hasn't lived the cleanest life since then, but I think he's cleaned himself up in the last few years. We hope that comes through tonight, but he obviously has incredible experience and nothing will faze Mike Tyson.”

An ambassador for old-school boxing company Everlast, which has been making fightwear and equipment since 1910, Taylor is firmly in line with the traditionalists of the ring. Taylor clearly loves the sport with an enduring passion and sounds hopeful when I ask if Tyson could beat his much younger rival. “I think so. I've seen clips of him training recently and he looks very good on the pads. But Jake is a fit man, a young man and a good athlete too. He seems to have a good shot and is starting to To prove myself as a fighter It's very interesting, but I have a real soft spot for Mike Tyson.

“I think if you're a boxer it's really important that he does well and hopefully wins because Mike Tyson is an absolute legend in the sport. He was once considered the most evil man in the world. He's super exciting to watch, a real iconic boxer. I have so much respect for him for what he has done in this sport and I would hate to see a legend like him lose a match like this. For many of us fighters he is a hero.”

Taylor and Tyson are considered away fighters on the program, while Serrano is promoted by Paul – whose company is hosting the event in association with Netflix. Their kinship was strengthened by a long exchange before the first press conference in May. “We had a great conversation and his knowledge of the sport is second to none. He’s a great boxing historian, so it was really special for me to have the opportunity to talk to someone who is so knowledgeable and has a great way of thinking.”

She hates talking about retiring, but Taylor laughs when I ask if she could imagine doing something similar at 58? “NO! As soon as I retire from the sport, that will be it. I've been beaten enough in the last 20 years.”

Some of us hope that Taylor, who has done more for women's boxing than anyone else, will soon choose a life on the safe side. But she speaks seriously and passionately about her desire to keep fighting for a few more years. She wants “a very special” final part of a trilogy with Cameron and, she says, “there are definitely other people I would like to fight.” Alycia Baumgardner and Caroline Dubois are also fantastic fighters. It’s amazing that there are so many options out there, isn’t it?”

But now she faces an extraordinarily difficult night against Serrano. Is she ready to return to the dark and painful place where she found herself on the brutal night of her first fight? “I’m very aware that I could return to this place,” Taylor says. “That’s why I train so hard – to prepare for these fights. I've been in dark places throughout training camp and the male and female sparring partners I've had with me over the last few weeks have been phenomenal. I had to show a lot of heart during these sparring sessions and throughout. So it's not the first time I've walked through a dark place. I know what it feels like to dig deep and I will be prepared. I’m ready for this fight.”

Midway through the first fight, Taylor got into so much trouble that it looked like Serrano was about to stop her. “Afterwards people were talking about the fifth round and I thought, 'What happened?'” Taylor says with a complicated smile. “I didn’t even realize what had actually happened. I was lost in the fight and really I'm just there to throw punches. But I think at the end of that fifth round I was throwing punches back at her. My head soon cleared and I won the second half of the fight.”

Taylor loves fighting in the trenches, but she has the ability to outsmart Serrano when she takes a more tactical approach. “Yes, I definitely do,” she agrees. “I just need to be more disciplined and that’s what I’m trying to focus on. But I realize that sometimes that’s not the smartest move.”

She grins wryly but then shakes her head when I ask her if she's worried about how the fight might be judged since it's a promotion for Jake Paul in Texas. “It’s something I never thought about,” she says. “It’s not the best thing a fighter thinks about when he enters the ring. My job is just to fight, and of course you hope and pray that the judgment will be very fair. I just want the right winner to win the fight. But I have more important things to focus on.”

Taylor's love for boxing is one of purity and she approaches the fight game much differently than most. It is notable that she and Brian Peters, who has managed Taylor since she turned professional in 2016, have never signed a contract to cement their working relationship. They prefer to rely on their mutual trust and the fact that they are both boxing people through and through.

So it's easy for Taylor, who is deeply religious, to rise above the Tyson vs. Paul charade and enjoy the gravity of her own fight. “I think our styles combine very well,” she says of Serrano. “She’s obviously a great fighter. I love boxing, but I also get drawn into a fight like this. We both agree that we will do everything we can to win the fight, so it will be another explosive evening. I’m just excited to go in there and perform because I think my best will surpass Serrano’s.”