The official trailer for Taylor Serrano 3 made its debut on Wednesday.
The 1:52 long trailer for the fight to take place on Netflix July 11, narrated by Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron, known for her own all-action role in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” dramatizes the athletic journey of accomplished champions and rivals, the undisputed champion Katie Taylor of Ireland and seven-division champion Amanda Serrano of Puerto Rico.
In contrast to some of the eye-popping, video game-style trailers for other epic fights, particularly those under the Riyadh Season banner, the Netflix trailer focuses on the women and their struggle for athletic excellence and acceptance. These are real, humanized, blood-and-guts warriors.
Presented by Most Valuable Promotions, Taylor Serrano 3 headlines the first-ever all-women’s boxing card in Madison Square Garden history.
In their second bout, Taylor vs Serrano 2 set the world record as the most-watched women’s sporting event in American history, shattering all records with 74 million average viewers worldwide.
Taylor vs. Serrano 2 was the unanimous choice as the 2024 Women’s Fight of the Year, including by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), of which I am the only woman with full membership and voting rights.
Taylor vs. Serrano 3 is among boxing’s current fiercest rivalries. Their first fight in April 2022 made history as the first women’s fight to headline Madison Square Garden.
Each of the prior fights was an electric, razor-thin contest. In the first bout, Serrano came close to knocking out Taylor, who managed to pull out the win at the sold-out MSG to successfully defend her then-undisputed lightweight title. Both women earned seven-figure purses.
Taylor prevailed again in another close decision in the rematch. Serrano won the respect of fans worldwide for her effort, carrying on despite a vicious cut due to an accidental headbutt midway through the fight.
The nature of the first two fights necessitated yet another match, and no doubt, the incredible interest demonstrated by Netflix’s viewership numbers helped seal the deal.
“The numbers that got to see the last fight in November were incredible, so hopefully those people will all want to tune in for the trilogy fight as well, and we can deliver another great fight,” said Taylor.
Serrano’s social following makes her the most-followed female boxer in the world. Serrano will once again put up her relentless power and resume against the world’s most decorated female fighter of all time, once again in front of her hometown fans.
“Headlining an all-female card at MSG, representing both New York and Puerto Rico, is something I never thought would be possible, and it wouldn’t be without Nakisa Bidarian, Jake Paul, and MVP’s commitment to elevating women’s boxing,” said Serrano.
Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, called it “more than a fight” in their announcement.
“This all-women’s card is not only a testament to how far the sport has come but also the beginning of an even greater push from MVP to elevate the next generation of female fighters,” said their announcement. Unlike other incumbents in boxing, we have, are, and will always champion women as equals to men, treating them with supreme respect, and we will never compromise on those values.”
Though many observers were skeptical of Paul’s entry into boxing both as an athlete and promoter, there is no doubt he is among the leaders in growing and supporting the women’s side of the sport. As much as high-level boxing moves to the Middle East, providing a platform for women elsewhere is vital.
Shortly after the trilogy fight was confirmed, MVP announced the signing of Denmark’s two-weight world champion, reigning unified bantamweight world champion and BoxRec’s #1 pound-for-pound female boxer Dina Thorslund (23-0, 9 KOs), the multi-talented Somali-British boxer, activist, and high fashion model Ramla Ali (9-2, 2 KO), Costa Rica’s 20-year-old undefeated WBC Youth light flyweight world champion Naomy Valle (14-0, 9 KOs), and 15-time U.S. national amateur champion Nat “No Love”’ Dove (4-0).
The signings of Thorslund and Ali mark MVP’s first European fighters, while Valle and Dove’s additions reinforce its commitment to identifying and developing elite boxing prospects. Under the MVP banner, Thorslund, Ali, Valle, and Dove are primed to reach new heights, embodying MVP’s mission to elevate and empower female athletes on the global stage.
Thorslund recently announced her departure from the July 11 card due to learning she was pregnant with her second child.
Stepping in is Cherneka Johnson (17-2, 7 KOs), the two-division and reigning WBA bantamweight titleholder, who signed with MVP on June 5. She will face Thorslund’s original opponent, IBF champion Shurretta Metcalf (14-4-1, 2 KOs) on the Taylor Serrano 3 card.
Thorslund vacated her WBC and WBO belts, which will be at stake in the Johnson vs Metcalf bout.
“I’m proud to stand alongside all the talented women on this card, and I hope our fight inspires young girls everywhere to keep believing in themselves and never stop chasing their dreams.”
More recently, MVP announced the signing of Boxrec’s #2 greatest pound-for-pound women’s boxer of all time and former UFC champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (33-2, 9 KOs) and 29-year-old undefeated Mexican superstar Yolanda “Pitayita” Vega (10-0, 1 KO).
Holm and Vega join MVP’s elite roster and join the Jake Paul vs. Julio César Chávez Jr. undercard, first announced at the event’s preview press conference, where Holm and Vega made a surprise appearance.
The return of Holm marks the return of an all-time great of women’s boxing who helped pave the way for the growth of women’s professional boxing and the explosion of talent, drawing more fans to the women’s side of the sport.
“Taylor-Serrano 2 was not just one of the most thrilling fights I’ve ever witnessed; it also made history as the most-watched professional women’s sports event in the U.S.,” said Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer. “At Netflix, we’re proud to continue to elevate the profile of women athletes and to bring another historic event to our global audience with MVP.”
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