Updated at 21.32
IRELAND’S KATIE TAYLOR and James Tennyson took to the podium in Boston this evening at the Matchroom Boxing press conference to confirm a world title triple-header at TD Garden, home of the Celtics and Bruins, on 20 October.
Taylor [10-0, 5KOs] defends her WBA and IBF World lightweight titles against Puerto Rican Brooklynite Cindy ‘Checkmate’ Serrano [27-5-3, 10KOs] in the co-main event to Billy Joe Saunders vs Demetrius Andrade, while the hard-hitting Tennyson [22-2, 18KOs] will attempt to relieve Philly tough guy Tevin Farmer [26-4-1, 5KOs] of his IBF super-featherweight strap and become Ireland’s fourth reigning world champion.
European champion Tennyson, a 25-year-old Belfast native, peeled himself off the canvas to sensationally stop the highly-rated Martin J. Ward in his last outing, and October’s bout with recently-crowned champion Farmer will be his maiden bid for world honours.
Gorey garda Niall Kennedy [11-0-1, 7KOs] will join his compatriots on the stacked Beantown bill in a heavyweight contest.
Confirmed! @TevinFarmer22 will defend his IBF World title against @JamesT931 October 20 in Boston live on @DAZN_USA and @SkySportsBoxing 🇺🇸💥 pic.twitter.com/7PA3FQCQaN
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) August 24, 2018
Confirmed! @KatieTaylor will defend her WBA and IBF World title against Cindy Serrano October 20 in Boston live on @dazn_usa and @skysports 🇺🇸💥 pic.twitter.com/OIGgT2l72U
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) August 24, 2018
“It’s amazing to be here involved in such a massive night of boxing with such huge fights lined up,” Tennyson told a sizeable assembly of fans and media at the steps of the historic Quincy Market.
Fighting for the IBF world title here in Boston is amazing — Boston is a great place. But it’s going to become a whole lot better when I come over here and become champion of the world!
Farmer admitted to not knowing a great deal about ‘The Assassin’, but warned the Belfast boy that he’d have to be at his best to dethrone the new champ in two months’ time.
“October 20th, we’re coming to bring the pain,” said ‘The American Idol’. “The last time I fought in Boston was in 2014 when I fought Manny Gonzalez and that was when I changed my life.
“I don’t know much about my opponent but what I do know is people don’t make it to this level for no reason. I know he’s definitely going to come to fight and he wants to beat Tevin Farmer.
“But to beat me, honestly, you’re going to have to bring a knife and a gun because it ain’t going to be easy.”
Farmer then turned towards the smiling Tennyson and said: “Make sure you bring your ‘A’ game, buddy!”
FACE OFF | @TevinFarmer22 defends his IBF World Super-Featherweight Title vs @JamesT931 Oct 20! 💥 #FarmerTennyson pic.twitter.com/Rxw9OLByLR
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) August 24, 2018
Cindy Serrano, the former WBO World featherweight champion, was next on the mic, and the 36-year-old wasn’t shy in paying her opponent her dues.
“Katie is a tremendous fighter — she’s a hard, hard worker — so I know it’s not going to be an easy fight,” said Serrano, whose younger sister Amanda is aiming to pick up a world title in a sixth weight class before facing Taylor herself early next year.
“It’s going to be a great fight. I’m a great fighter myself. I’ve been training hard. We’re going to prove that women can fight and we’re going to look good doing it!”
Promoter Eddie Hearn then introduced Taylor to the gathered Bostonians, who greeted Taylor with tremendous acclaim.
“She is, in my opinion, not just the biggest star in women’s boxing”, said Hearn, “but one of the biggest stars in all of boxing. [She's] an absolute credit to the sport, to herself, and of course to the people of Ireland where she is quite honestly the queen.”
Said a typically bashful Taylor: “It’s great to be here. I absolutely love this city — I love Boston — and this is going to be like a homecoming fight for me because of all the Irish people here.
“I just want to thank Cindy for taking the fight. This is going to be an incredible fight. There are the fights that I absolutely relish.
“It’s a privilege to be on this platform with this great talent. October 20th is going to be a super night of boxing and I can’t wait.”
FACE OFF | @KatieTaylor defends her IBF & WBA World Lightweight TItles vs Cindy Serrano, Oct 20! 👑👑 #TaylorSerrano pic.twitter.com/oNMc8bm1ey
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) August 24, 2018
The world championship triple-header will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on this side of the pond.