A high-ranking boxing pound-for-pound entrant enjoyed a successful MMA venture for the second straight night.
It was Amanda Serrano's turn to add to her combat sports portfolio, registering a 1st round submission win over Valentina Garcia in their MMA clash Friday evening at Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Mexico. Serrano forced Garcia to tap out courtesy of a standing guillotine choke to produce the stoppage at 1:02 of round one in their flyweight bout (125-pound limit in MMA).
The event took place one night after boxing pound-for-pound queen Claressa Shields enjoyed a successful MMA debut, rallying to stop Brittney Elkin in the 3rd and final round of their ESPN2-televised main event in Atlantic City. For Serrano, it was a return to this world as she regularly trains in various forms of combat.
Her experience showed versus Garcia, who made her pro debut and was outclassed from the opening bell. Serrano—a Brooklyn-bred Puerto Rican southpaw—moved forward, landing jabs and straight left hands while fending off right leg kicks from Garcia. Both fighters sought leg takedowns before Serrano saw an opportunity to apply a guillotine choke.
Garcia attempted to break free, only for Serrano to connect with a knee to the abdomen. The 32-year-old tightened her grip, keeping Garcia in the chokehold for more than 20 seconds before her opponent was forced to tap out in submission.
Serrano didn't dole out any more punishment than necessary, immediately releasing the hold and depositing her opponent to the canvas. The moment was followed by an in-ring embrace between the two mere seconds later, with Serrano never one to disrespect her opponents in any field.
The win moves Serrano's MMA record to 2-0-1, with both wins coming by way of submission. The fight was her first in this field since October 2018, when she fought for the second of two times in the year on the Combate Americas circuit. She was due to return to that world, only for a planned appearance to endure several postponents and ultimately a cancellation even prior to the pandemic.
Serrano has boxed five times in between MMA appearances, picking up four more major titles over two weight divisions during that span. Included among that run was her 1st round knockout of Eva Voraberger to win the vacant WBO junior bantamweight title in January 2019 at Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theater in New York City.
The win extended Serrano's boxing record of major titles claimed in seven weight divisions, more than any other female boxer in history. From there came a return to the featherweight division, which she has considered her strongest weight class and where she presently serves as the unified WBC/WBO/IBO titlist. In her most recent boxing appearance, Serrano earned a 9th round knockout of Daniela Bermudez this past March in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A return to boxing is her likely next move. Anticipation continues to build for a showdown with recently crowned WBA featherweight titlist Erika Cruz, though plans of her next fight have not yet been determined.
Serrano-Garcia served as part of iKON Fighting Federation 7, which aired live on UFC Fight Pass.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox