“They do this in women’s boxing too?!”: Dawn Staley frustrated with result of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano’s controversial matchup

Dawn Staley was not happy with the results of the Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano boxing game on Saturday. Despite point deductions for head butting, Katie Taylor won by a narrow margin. This was their second time facing each other after 2022.

"Chile they do this in women’s boxing too?!!! Serrano and it wasn’t even close," coach Staley wrote on X.

Amanda Serrano was also not happy with the results, as she said after the game:

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"She kept headbutting me. We knew from the first fight it's what she does. Not only my fight, she did it with Chantelle Cameron. She uses her head."

A third fight is expected between the two women either in Ireland or Saudi Arabia, per ESPN.

Meanwhile, Dawn Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks have begun their 2024-25 season on a winning start as they attempt to defend their 2024 national championship win. During Thursday's home opener against Coppin State, South Carolina's championship banner was raised to the rafters of Colonial Life Arena.

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“I mean it’s beautiful,” Staley said. “It’s always a beautiful ceremony, no matter if the spotlight was on it or not. I knew what it was. And I didn’t even have my glasses on. I knew what it was.

"So any time you’re able to be a part of the very people who have covered us, the very people that have traveled with us, the very people who always seem to make this a home court advantage for us, to unveil the banner with them is always a great thing.”

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Dawn Staley comments on some of her player's slow start

Despite the three-game winning start, some of South Carolina's experienced players like Raven Johnson, Sania Feagin and Bree Hall have underperformed. Commenting on them after the Coppin State win, Dawn Staley said:

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"Sometimes it happens. I do know that this is a real thing: When we have our WNBA-eligible players... it makes you press, and it gets you out of your norm. Your normal routine of focusing on the game, your focus becomes something else, and then the things that you do well aren't up to par.

"They understand it, but you really can't control it," she added. "So we just have to try out best to get them back into their habits."

South Carolina next host East Carolina on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

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