By: Sean Crose
Netflix has only broadcast one live boxing card…but boy it was some card. It may have seemed ridiculous and even dangerous at the time, but Mike Tyson’s comeback fight against Jake Paul was a Netflix event that brought in more eyeballs than one could possibly count. Boxing, the sport that is eternally said to be on the decline drew in countless viewers to the already popular streaming service. No wonder the gang at Netflix are going down the boxing path again. While it’s true this Friday night’s fight between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor won’t be as big as the Paul-Tyson circus, it’s certainly a more legitimate bout in the eyes of fans and may be a good gauge as to where the future of broadcast boxing is going.
Of course, Serrano and Taylor will not be your average boxing match. Not only is it the most hyped female throwdown in a boxing ring ever, it features two of the all-time greats in the sport battling for a third and possibly final time at Madison Square Garden. The first two fights between Serrano and Taylor were absolute wars, true classics. Although Taylor won both fights, they were exceedingly close, close enough that they truly could have gone either way on the judge’s cards. There’s a lot on the line for both women this Friday, which is why the fight is such a big deal, not only for boxing but for Netflix as well.
Should Serrano-Taylor 3 be anywhere near as good as the first two fights, Netflix will have every reason in the world to call the evening a success. The truth is exciting fights help the sport of boxing and the first two battles between these two fighters have been thrilling affairs. Delivering a good product leads to viewer interest, and perhaps a bright future for boxing on one of the world’s biggest streaming services. Both the platform and the promotion have a lot to gain in Saturday’s fight.
And if Serrano-Taylor 3 isn’t as big a success as is hoped for? That will all depend at least to some degree on the people at Netflix. Here is a streaming service looking for original content, something boxing offers plenty of. What’s more, Netflix offers fans a financial break. For Friday will not be a pay-per-view event. It will simply be a Netflix event- a very big one. There’s a lot on the line this Friday night not only for the fighters but for the forces behind the event as well.
