'I have seen her lose twice' - NBA star Damian Lillard on Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano

Damian Lillard, of the Portland Trail Blazers, has given his support to Amanda Serrano in her upcoming fight with Katie Taylor, claiming that the Irish boxer was gifted two decisions.

Taylor and Serrano are scheduled to fight for Taylor's WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF, and The Ring titles. The fight is expected to be the biggest women's boxing match in history.

In a highly-publicized Twitter post, Lillard gave his prediction for the fight:

"Serrano... I like a Katie Taylor but I feel like I’ve seen her lose twice and get a decision. I think Serrano edge her out"

In response, Serrano invited Lillard to be her guest ringside.

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Katie Taylor's controversial decision

The specific fights being referred to by Lillard are not identified directly. However, it can be assumed that one of the fights in question is Taylor's first fight with Delfine Persoon.

In 2019, Katie Taylor fought the Belgian boxer in New York for a lightweight unification bout. After a tough battle, Taylor was awarded a unanimous decision victory on the scorecards. However, the consensus among viewers was that Persoon had actually won. Following the fight, fellow Irish boxer Carl Frampton called it a "disgraceful decision."

In 2020, Taylor and Persoon fought a rematch in England. Over ten rounds, Taylor outboxed Persoon and was awarded a unanimous decision victory. Following the second bout, Persoon commended Taylor for her performance. The decision in the second bout was not widely regarded as controversial.

Check out the first fight between Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon here:

Taylor's fight with Serrano in late April is one of the most anticipated bouts of the year. Serrano is coming off a win over Miriam Gutiérrez in December 2021. The Puerto Rico-born, Brooklyn-based fighter is a seven division world champion with a record of 42-1-1. She has held world titles from super flyweight to light welterweight.

Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion, is one of the most accomplished Irish boxers in history. In 2001, Taylor fought in the first sanctioned women's boxing match in Ireland. She has been credited with driving women's boxing into the public eye.