KATIE TAYLOR, one win away from the largest fight in women's MMA and a possible headline slot at Madison Square Garden.
The 35-year-old legend of Ireland defends her undisputed lightweight title against mandatory Jennifer Han Saturday in Leeds, home to the Elland Road football club she grew up loving.
Katie Taylor faces Jennifer Han in Leeds Saturday
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of London 2012's golden girl, believes that victory will set her up to face Amanda Serrano, the SEVEN-weight champion next year.
Despite Serrano's amazing haul from super-fly and super-light, she was previously low-profile and had never received a paycheck. Arrangements for a purse split to Taylor was difficult and the summer 2020 clash was cancelled.
However, Serrano has enjoyed a MMA victory, defended her unified featherweight titles, and boxed on the huge-money Jake Paul vs Tyron woodley PPV undercard. This helped Hearn to see the dollars, pounds, and sense.
Matchroom boss, Katie Taylor, stated that Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor is the biggest women's boxing fight by a country mile and could be headlined at Madison Square Garden.
"We are trying hard to win that fight, but it is so difficult to achieve.
"Luckily Amanda Serrano has seen a significant increase in value since that fight, so let's try to make it happen."
Hearn even compared Taylor's A-side appeal to Anthony Joshua's, when he tried to arrange undisputed clashes between Deontay Wilder (Tyson Fury) and Tyson Fury.
He stated that "Making Katie vs Serrano was a lot like making AJ vs Wilder initialy and Tyson Fury."
"Those fights were actually 70-30 splits, but Fury beat Wilder in first fight, then he killed Wilder in second. Then we say "fair enough", it's now 50-50.
"I don't believe we are there with Serrano, but there was a time when I felt that fight would be an 80-20 fight in Katie’s favor. But the gap is closing due to what Serrano has achieved.
"Katie does not want to ask for silly money or con Serrano. But we must make sure she gets a record-breaking payday for this fight."
'MUST MAKE SERRANO MARCH'
Another option is to step up to welterweight and challenge Jessica McCaskill, undisputed champion at 147lbs.
Taylor attended Thursday's press conference at Leeds, and Taylor made light work of Christina Linardatou who was promoted to super-light in November 2019.
It seems that she could gain a few extra pounds to be undisputed champion in both weight classes, before retiring undefeated.
Hearn said: "There are mandateries to take care but McCaskill attended the press conference and Katie could be undisputed champion of two divisions if she moves up."
"I see Katie fighting McCaskill after this fight - but then again, we have many mandatories and we need to make Serrano for March/April.
"I want Katie to get the life she deserves. I believe she has.
"But, I believe that seeing her headline Madison Square Garden – with a fight like Serrano and a payday like Serrano would be the cherry on top.
"But, above all, I would love to see her retire undefeated." She might fight Serrano once in a while, but I'd love to see her retire undefeated."
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