No matter what happened in her trilogy clash with Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano was certain of two things.
She knew that she would return to featherweight, likely for the remainder of her storied career. The iconic Puerto Rican southpaw was also confident of at least one more homecoming.
Both of those boxes are checked with her next fight, a rematch with Erika Cruz. Serrano will risk her lineal and unified WBA and WBO 126lbs championship in their DAZN headliner from Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 3.
Still, she wanted to provide even more for her fellow Boricuas.
“It’s an honor to fight in front of my people,” Serrano told reporters during a kick-off press conference on Friday at Distrito T-Mobile in San Juan. “I made a promise to my fans – my people – that I will continue to be their champion until the very end. I will show them why I am ‘The Real Deal’.
“Our first fight was amazing. This one is going to be even better because we’re fighting three minutes – 10 rounds, three minutes [per round]. That’s 30 minutes for us to throw as many punches as we can and beat each other up.”
Serrano, 47-4-1 (30 KOs), attempts the seventh defense of her reign as champion, which dates back to her WBO title win over Heather Hardy in New York City in September 2019. The record-setting, seven-division titlist has always felt at her best at featherweight, as was proven in her win over Cruz in February 2023 to become Puerto Rico’s first-ever undisputed champion in the multi-belt era.
Serrano outpointed Cruz over 10, two-minute rounds in their instant classic – a feat that ended Cruz’s WBA 126lbs title stay. By year’s end, Serrano took the lead on the demand for women’s bouts to take place at the same three-minute distance per round afforded to male counterparts.
Her only fight under those terms thus far came in a 12-round, unanimous decision over Danila Ramos in Orlando, Florida in October 2023. It was her past fight at featherweight, having fought three straight times in the junior-welterweight division – including back-to-back challenges for Katie Taylor’s undisputed championship at the weight.
One more 126lbs title defense was meant to take place during that period, and in San Juan. However, Serrano was forced off her homecoming versus Nina Meinke, in March 2024, at the 11th hour due to a chemical burn to her eye which deemed her medically unfit to fight.
That event would have marked her first fight on home soil since a knockout win over Daniela Bermudez in March 2021. That event took place during the pandemic, with no paid crowd permitted for their outdoor event in Old San Juan.
Following her trilogy clash with Ireland’s Taylor in July, Serrano made a point to revisit old business.
She’d since relinquished her WBC and IBF featherweight titles but remains the divisional queen. Cruz – 35 years old and who went on to capture the WBA 122lbs title – moves back up in weight. Running it back with the hardened Mexico City native was a no-brainer as far as Serrano and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) were concerned.
“The first fight was amazing,” noted Serrano, 37. “We broke records for thrown punches. I love providing amazing fights. Erika Cruz hasn’t lost since our first fight. She became a champion again [at 122lbs]. She’s gonna fight; she’s gonna bring it.
“And in the end, she’s gonna win fans here in Puerto Rico. Because that’s what us Puerto Ricans like – us Boricuas like fighting and people who come to fight.”
The same can be said for the supporting cast, which – as previously reported by BoxingScene – includes another title fight and several pivotal all-Boricua clashes. Chief among the undercard bouts is a clash between unbeaten WBA 135lbs titlist Stephanie Han and the former boxing and UFC champion Holly Holm, which will also take place over 10, three-minute rounds.
“I wanted fans to enjoy a night of boxing – as well as the whole undercard,” Serrano insisted. “We have some great fights; champions fighting champions. Former champions wanting to become champion again. I’m excited for the show.
“I can’t wait to sit down and watch the show, then go in and put on a show.”
