The third bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano wasn’t just a rematch, it was a moment of reckoning for women’s sport, boxing visibility, and Netflix’s live event ambitions. Held at Madison Square Garden on 11 July 2025 and streamed globally via Netflix, the event drew an impressive average minute audience of 6 million viewers - with 4.2 million tuning in from the US alone.

For context, while their previous fight on the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul undercard reached a record-breaking 74 million global viewers, this standalone headline card still ranks as one of 2025’s most-watched women’s sporting events. It also achieved the highest gate for any female sporting event in MSG history - $2.63 million.

This fight card signals more than just viewership numbers. It points to shifting expectations around how women’s sport is packaged, distributed, and monetised - especially as platforms like Netflix step further into live broadcasting.

📈 Pros - Growth Signals for Women’s Sport & Streaming

Streaming Scalability: Netflix proving it can successfully host a global live sports event with major reach (Top 10 in 43 countries).
Cultural Capital: The Taylor vs Serrano trilogy cements both athletes as icons, drawing crowds comparable to major men’s bouts.
Revenue Benchmarks: A record-breaking gate at MSG confirms growing appetite for elite women’s boxing as a ticketed live experience.

⚠️ Cons - The Comparison Trap

Drop from Previous Viewership: The 6 million AMA pales in comparison to the 74 million drawn during the Tyson-Paul event – highlighting how star power and card curation still heavily influence women’s sport visibility.
Platform Maturity: Netflix’s sports play remains nascent. Unlike ESPN or DAZN, it lacks habitual sports viewers, affecting repeat tune-in patterns.

🔍 Opportunities - Building a Women’s Sport Flywheel

Athlete-Led Promotions: Serrano and Taylor’s ongoing success shows the viability of women-led, athlete-first storytelling and promotion.
Integrated Campaigns: Brands can build multichannel campaigns around female fighters, aligning with themes of resilience, equity, and excellence.
Global Growth: With international Top 10 rankings, brands should note the cross-border appeal of marquee female boxing events.

🚧 Challenges - Sustaining Momentum & Investment

Inconsistent Viewership: Without consistent scheduling or anchor events, women's boxing risks peaking episodically rather than building longitudinal growth.
Media Narratives: Coverage still tends to compare women’s events to men’s benchmarks rather than valuing them on distinct terms.
Brand Reluctance: Some mainstream sponsors still hesitate to commit large-scale budgets to women's sports events without proof of ROI.

📝 Key Takeouts

Netflix is making strides in live sports, with women’s events offering breakthrough opportunities for differentiation.
Taylor-Serrano 3 shows strong fan demand and commercial potential, even if not reaching the scale of crossover novelty fights.
Women's sport continues to break attendance and gate records when marketed as premium content.

👉 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

Invest Early in Female Fighters: Align with emerging stars before they hit peak cultural recognition. Think long-term partnerships.
Prioritise Streaming Partnerships: With platforms like Netflix scaling up live events, brands have new digital placement and integration options.
Champion Authentic Storytelling: Move beyond empowerment tropes. Focus on legacy, rivalry, skill, and achievement.

This event was a test of how women’s sport can live on premium platforms and how brands and platforms can shape its future.