Malissa Smith is a historian specializing in women’s boxing who has authored two books on the subject. Last year, she released “The Promise of Women’s Boxing.”
BoxingScene caught up with Smith to talk about the undercard of Friday’s third fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The bout will stream on Netflix.
BoxingScene: What are some undercard bouts that stand out?
Smith: The Ellie Scotney-Yamileth Mercado fight, I think, will be a very good one. Mercado is a good fighter; she has a win over Mariana Juarez. She did lose to Amanda Serrano, but she refused to go down. That is a compelling fight. It is important for Scotney, because she is 10-0, and it opens the door for undisputed down the line.
It is nice to see Savannah Marshall back in the ring after being out for so long. I like the Cherneka Johnson-Shurretta Metcalf fight. Metcalf just captured the IBF bantamweight title by defeating Miyo Yoshida in October. It is a chance for Metcalf to up her profile. Johnson, I really like as a fighter; she has great skills. It is an interesting matchup. I think Johnson wins the fight because she has solid fundamentals, but it will make for a compelling story.
