There was no animosity to be seen on the dais when Amanda Serrano and Reina Tellez came face-to-face at Tuesday’s press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Both fighters wore a look of determination on their faces, while Serrano swayed to the beat of the reggaeton music overhead before both broke into laughter.
Instead of the blood feud that had characterized her relationship with original opponent Erika Cruz - removed from the fight over results of her VADA test - there was gratitude from Serrano for stepping in on about two weeks' notice to replace Cruz.
On the opposite side, San Antonio’s Tellez, 13-0-1 (5 KOs), was still absorbing the reality that she is getting her first world title opportunity relatively early in her career. It also comes against a fighter she had watched since her earliest days.
“When I got the call, I was really shocked. Someone that I watched growing up my whole life,” said the 22-year-old Tellez.
“Wow that made me feel old,” Serrano, 37, shot back.
“I think you fought for your first world title when I first started boxing in 2012,” Tellez responded.
The fight, which takes place Saturday at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a clash of generations.
Serrano, 47-4-1 (31 KOs) who turned pro shortly after winning the 2008 New York Golden Gloves, is a pioneer of women’s boxing.
The P.R.-born, Brooklyn-raised southpaw pushed the sport into the main event picture at a time when broadcasters wanted little to do with them. For example, Serrano’s first major little win - a 2011 2nd round stoppage of Kimberly Connor-Hamby for the IBF junior lightweight title - was not shown by any major network.
Fast forward more than a decade later, where her three fights with Katie Taylor - two of which headlined at Madison Square Garden - set records for the visibility of women’s boxing.
“When I started it was a struggle. Me, my sister [Cindy], and [trainer/manager] Jordan Maldonado struggled,” Serrano shared. “So it’s been an incredible journey.
Now that we have MVP (Most Valuable Promotions), we’re helping other women in this sport, and that is something that we truly want to do and continue to open the doors for women in this sport.”
Tellez, by contrast, has grown up in the sport.
Her journey began at age eight, going the more traditional route of working her way through the United States’ amateur system. Tellez won junior national titles in 2017 and 2018 before turning pro in 2021.
The first-time challenger took a full day to think over the opportunity to face Serrano, 47-4-1 (31 KOs). While a great opportunity, it came last-minute and required something greater than a rush to judgment.
Ultimately, she and her team opted to make the most of her chance at the WBO and WBA featherweight titles.
“I would say it was a big opportunity – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s just something I had to say yes to because I know that if I didn't, I would have probably regretted it,” said Tellez, a San Antonio based fighter who was born in Vero Beach, Florida.
Serrano says that Tellez, whose younger sister Gabriela is also an undefeated pro, reminds her of herself when she first started boxing, acknowledging the hunger of her opponent.
The fight will be Tellez’s first scheduled ten-rounder, and first time fighting three-minute rounds, in addition to being a massive step-up in competition.
“I know it was not a big enough camp but that just shows that you’re a young fighter, a hungry fighter and it just reminds me of myself when I started,” said Serrano.
“Only the best who dare to lose gain so much more respect. I’m excited to share that ring with you. I know you’re gonna come with everything because you want the people to remember your name.”
Tellez saw the upside to entering a late-notice fight as a big-time underdog against one of the all-time greats.
“I really don’t have anything to lose, it’s everything to gain,” admitted Tellez. “I’m going to do what the game plan is. There’s going to be some instances where we’re going to have to fight it out, and there’s going to be times where we’re boxing.
“I’ve been boxing since I was eight years old, and it means a lot to me and my family because we went through a lot. We’ve been through a lot of sacrifices just to get here. Now the day’s finally here, so we’re excited, and we’re grateful as a whole.”
Serrano, a future Hall of Famer, acknowledged rumors of her imminent retirement, but reassured that she still has goals left to accomplish in the sport, which gives her reason to remain motivated despite winning world titles in seven different divisions.
“I said I might [retire],” said Serrano. “It’s been a long journey, and I just love seeing these women here grow, get the opportunities, and get better paydays. And just one fight at a time.
“But I do have goals, so I need the record for the knockout (two away from breaking the all-time mark). Indeed, 50 wins. So there’s certain goals. I have to keep on going.”
Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.
