Even the most jaded boxing journalist had to admit being awestruck Tuesday by the scene at The Oculus at World Trade Center for the Most Valuable Promotions Taylor Serrano 3 event public workout session, aired live in a first for Netflix.
Walking in at street level, the entire ground floor was dominated by the ring and two huge inflatable statues depicting Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. Visitors and shoppers who simply came to visit the stores mingled with the hardcore fans. Together, they packed the place for several hours to watch the priceless entertainment.
The women on the historic card taking place on Friday, July 11 at Madison Square Garden didn’t disappoint them. Neither did promoter Jake Paul, who along with partner Nakisa Badarian were present throughout the event, with Paul greeting fans and signing autographs.
See the entire Taylor Serrano 3 workout event replay here.
Taylor and Serrano Run It Back One More Time
Katie Taylor put on a show of her punching power for fans. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
Undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor of Ireland (24-1, 6 KOs) and Brooklyn’s own Puerto Rican boxing trailblazer, unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano(47-3-1, 31 KOs) showcased their skills to cap off an evening of women’s pro boxing excellence.
“I’m just so excited to headline such an iconic moment like this. I didn’t think it was going to get any bigger than the last fight. But here we are, headlining an all-female card. This is the stuff of dreams,” said Taylor.
“I just think this is insane, this is something I dreamed of as a kid. I don’t take it for granted,” said Taylor, who said it was great to see so many Irish people there.
Amanda Serrano intends to get her revenge in front of her hometown fans Friday. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
“I’m all in, I’m down in, I can’t wait for Friday night. More Saturday night when I’m back in Puerto Rico celebrating that victory,” said Serrano.
“I am extremely happy and proud, not for me, not for this opportunity, but for all these young ladies fighting on the card. This is the future. They can be inspired and say, ‘I wanna do that one day,’ adding that the exposure and the equitable purses go with it, “and that’s what makes me happy,” added Serrano.
“The struggle that me, my team, my sister, Jordan, what we went through, I don’t want these girls to go through what we went through. The struggle is real. Now, thanks to MVP, giving us the better paydays, the exposure, the opportunity in and out of the ring, that’s not something many people do,” added the five-division champion.
With his MVP promoter hat on, Jake Paul reflected on the event.
“I couldn’t be more proud, but it’s all credit to the women,” said Paul. “Here we are today. Katie Taylor and these women putting on fights all night long, it’s so entertaining. We had to believe to make this happen. It’s the future of the sport.”
Jake Paul and Amanda Serrano are blazing a trail for the next generation of women professional boxers. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
Serrano also invited the fighters under her promotional banner to join her in a round robin of shadowboxing, including Elise Soto and Krystal Rosado of Puerto Rico, and Ramla Ali of England. Soto and Rosado participated in sanctioned fights earlier in the evening, both winning their bouts.
Most of the fighters scheduled on the main and preliminary cards participated in the open workout.
Co-Main Features Hard-Hitting Baumgardner vs. Miranda
Fan favorite and undisputed champion Alycia Baumgardner works under the eye of new trainer Derrick James. Photo: Gayle Falkenthal, NY Fights
In the co-main event, unified and undisputed super featherweight champion Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KOs) and undefeated WBA Interim world champion Jennifer Miranda of Spain(12-0, 1 KO) snapped off punches with their trainers in impressive fashion.
“I am feeling so excited right now,” said Baumgardner. “Stepping into this camp has been the biggest challenge in the most positive way. I just took hold of it. I know who I am as a person and what I possess. We’re here, and I’m made for those moments,” said Baumgardner. “Just to keep it simple, you’re going to see The Baum,” promised Baumgardner.
Undefeated Jennifer Miranda is enjoying the moment. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
“I just have to enjoy the moment, enjoy life, enjoy the road, and enjoy the path. Things can change very quickly, so you have to take advantage of this incredible opportunity,” said Miranda.
Undercard Fighters Show Their Skills
Ellie Scotney is a new member of the MVP stable with plenty of fans in the UK in New York to support her. Photo: Gayle Falkenthal, NY Fights
Also getting in the Oculus ring to show their skills to the delighted fans were super middleweights Savannah Marshall and ShadasiaGreen, unified super bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney, bantamweights Cherneka Johnsonof New Zealand and Shurretta “Chiccn” Metcalf of Dallas, and Ramla Ali of England.
New Jersey’s Shadasia Green is coming for what’s hers. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
Canadian Olympian and exciting middleweight prospect Tamm Thibeault of Quebec opened the workouts and the smile never left her face. Her excitement and joy filled the vast space.
No one better expressed the athletes’ excitement more than Tamm Thibeualt. Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix
“Man, I’m excited. I never thought I’d be fighting at MSG in New York. It wasn’t a dream because I never thought it was possible,” said Thibeault. “Expect class and a boxing lesson … I’m really excited to get in there,” said the Canadian Olympian. Thibeault will fight under standard three-minute rounds in her eight round bout. “I want to be a trailblazer, and here I am.”
Fans Treated to All-Action Bouts from Rosada vs Vazquez and Soto vs Davis
The open workouts also featured two sanctioned pro fights contested over four, three-minute rounds, equal rules to men.
Krystal Rosado opened the show with an impressive performance. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
Opening the event, MVP’s Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado (7-0, 2 KOs) dominated Agustina Vazquez of Argentina (4-4-2). Rosado demonstrated her star potential by controlling the fight from the opening bell and won a wide unanimous decision victory with shutouts on all three cards.
Fellow Puerto Rican Elise Soto (8-0, 7 KOs) took on Colleen Davis of Pittsburge (4-3-1, 1 KO). With both women wearing their home colors of red and blue, and black and yellow, the two went to town from the opening bell.
After an exciting back-and-forth match, Soto squeezed out a split decision victory with scores of 39-37 twice, and 39-27 to Davis, in front of the massive audience at The Oculus and no doubt the biggest audience they have fought in front of during their boxing careers.
Coming up this week, fans can also attend the live official weigh-in at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, which will be the first live weigh-in ever streamed on Netflix at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.
Taylor Serrano 3 will stream live on Netflix exclusively on Friday, July 11, from Madison Square Garden in New York City in the first-ever all-women’s boxing card in Madison Square Garden history..
Taylor vs. Serrano 3 will be available to stream live globally on all Netflix plans, at no additional cost to subscribers. The broadcast will feature live commentary in English, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), Brazilian Portuguese and French.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist and the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). She is the Managing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.