World welterweight champion Hannah Rankin believes undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor will suffer the first defeat of her career to Amanda Serrano on Saturday.
Taylor faces Irish Cyrano at Madison Square Garden as the women’s battle tops the iconic New York location for the first time.
Rankin, who is on her way to a huge fight of her own against fellow British world champion Natasha Jonas, is anticipating an “epic” showdown at the Big Apple.
“I think this is a really exciting fight, two completely different styles,” Rankin said. Sky Sports News. Amanda won it.
“Later in the fight, I think she’s going to be strong, but early on we’ll see Katie dominating.
“So I think it will be in the second half of the fight where it will be decided and I can just see Amanda win this match, but it will be epic.”
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Sunday May 1 2:00 AM
Brilliant Taylor introduced women’s boxing
Rankin will become the first woman to top another arena with a lot of boxing history, Glasgow’s Hydro, when she defends the WBA and IBO belts in a homecoming match against Alejandra Ayala on May 13.
If Rankin takes that fight, she and Jonas, who became world champion in February, have expressed their desire to reunite later this year.
This potential bout, along with Savannah Marshall’s highly anticipated undisputed middleweight with fellow world champion Clarissa Shields, is evidence of the incredible development of women’s boxing in recent years.
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“I think we should give huge props to Katie Taylor,” Rankin says. “It really brought women’s boxing to the fore.
“I think every female boxer out there, we all love Katie Taylor, she’s just amazing. She’s actually just showing an amazing level of ability and talent, and people are really starting to get behind her, and then they’re also starting to look at more female fighters.. it’s kind of Getting people interested in this sport, which is great.
“I’m so proud to be a part of that movement, and being at the forefront of change is so exciting and that means everyone is looking at you waiting to see what you’re going to do next, so it’s an exciting place to be.”
Watch Hannah Rankin’s full interview with Jackie Beltrau live on Sky News Saturday morning at 9:35 a.m.
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