An undefeated fighter does not often suffer the first lack of her expert profession and by way of year’s end nevertheless finally ends up being identified as the best boxer of that calendar 12 months.
But that’s exactly what Katie Taylor did.
Although Amanda Serrano went 3-0, became the undisputed featherweight champion, and competed in the first women's global name combat with 12 three-minute rounds in 2007, she did not face the level of opposition Taylor did.
Taylor entered 2023 after a banner year in which she defeated Serrano, in what became defined as the “largest women’s combat of all time” at Madison Square Garden. It secured her place as the biggest famous person in girl’s boxing.
WATCH: Taylor vs. Serrano named the R2F Sports' 2022 Fight of the Year
After a tremendously expected rematch with Amanda Serrano became postponed due to Serrano suffering damage, Taylor could have sincerely waited for her rival to heal. Instead, she dared to be top-notch.
On May 21, Taylor jumped up a weight magnificence to task undisputed girl mild-welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron. The 32-yr-antique fighter from Northampton, England turned into bigger, more potent, and more youthful than Taylor.
Some might say that it was an unwell-cautioned flow for Taylor considering that she had a large rematch with Serrano already on deck. But greatness refuses to watch for every person.
Cameron wasn’t interested in stepping apart to permit Taylor the highlight and defeated the Irish celeb by way of majority choice. The loss signaled too many that Taylor can also have bitten off extra than she should chew, and at age 37 she may be at the backend of her super profession.
Cameron is regarded to be settling into an area alongside Clarisse Shields because of the pleasant female pound-for-pound fighter in the international.
Taylor could have licked her wounds and long gone again to the light-weight department where she remained the undisputed champion. The Amanda Serrano rematch was nevertheless on the table and might have netted her a full-size payday. But Taylor desired to avenge the most effective lack of her career and secured a rematch with Cameron on November 23.
In arguably her most terrific overall performance up to now, she outclassed Cameron to win a majority selection and emerge as simplest the 1/3 boxer, male or woman, to emerge as undisputed in exclusive weight training.
She fought a different fight where she took the center of the ring and neutralized Cameron’s jab. Everything that Cameron had fulfillment with the first time around turned into close down by way of Taylor in course to reclaiming her spot as one of the quality pound-for-pound opponents inside the international.
Taylor proved that she ought to address adversity, make the right modifications, and defeat a bigger, more potent, and younger opponent. No other lady has performed what Taylor did this year and it’s the reason why she earned her area as The R2F Sports’ woman boxer of the 12 months.
