Jelena Mrdjenovich: record, next fight and profile →
Mexico’s Erika Cruz won the biggest fight of her career with a dominating technical decision upset over long-reigning WBA Featherweight World Champion Jelena Mrdjenovich in Thursday night’s Ring City USA main event on NBC Sports Network and live from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
Erika Cruz realized her dream Thursday night in West Point, New York. The unknown Mexican featherweight came to the United States Military Academy and upset Jelena Mrdjenovich to win the WBA women’s featherweight title. Cruz won a technical decision because their fight was stopped 25 seconds into the seventh round due to a cut over Mrdjenovich’s right eye.
For the 54th time in her career, Jelena Mrdjenovich is taking things one fight at a time. A lot of changes have come with her upcoming bout versus Erika Cruz, beginning with the intention of facing Amanda Serrano in a three-belt featherweight title unification match. Her attention shifted instead to her next title defense, which was to be part of the next edition of Ring City USA.
All fighters successfully weighed in today ahead of Thursday’s Ring City USA event headlined by the high-stakes world title main event between WBA Featherweight World Champion Jelena Mrdjenovich and Erika Cruz, live from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The main card on NBC Sports Network will feature two additional bouts beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, with a three-fight professional undercard and amateur bouts featuring West Point cadets beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT around the world on Twitch. (photos by Tom Hogan/Hogan Photos)
Ring City USA enjoys its second consecutive main event featuring a female title fight. Long-reigning featherweight titlist Jelena Mrdjenovich defends her WBA strap versus Erika Cruz Hernandez. The bout has been elevated to headlining act Thursday evening on NBC Sports Network from U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The move was made in the wake of Jermaine Franklin (20-0, 13KOs) testing positive for COVID-19, forcing his withdrawal from a scheduled heavyweight clash versus Stephan Shaw (14-0, 10KOs).
The co-main event of the evening is a women’s featherweight world title bout between WBA World Champion Jelena Mrdjenovich (41-10-2, 19 KOs) of Edmonton, Canada, and world ranked contender Erika Cruz Hernandez (12-1-0, 3 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico, scheduled for ten rounds. Also featured on the NBC Sports Network main card is a highly anticipated clash between top undefeated junior welterweight prospects Juan Pablo ‘El Pivi’ Romero (13-0, 9 KOs) of Villa del Carbon, Mexico and Jonathan ‘Thunder’ Navarro (17-0, 9 KOs) of East Los Angeles, Calif., scheduled for ten rounds.
As BoxingScene.com previously reported, the World Boxing Council (WBC) elevated Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano to the 126-pound champion due to Jelena Mrdjenovich's unavailability to comply with the mandatory defense against the Puerto Rican boxer.
Amanda Serrano is now halfway to her goal of becoming undisputed featherweight champion. The record-setting seven division titlist was upgraded from interim to “World” champion by the World Boxing Council (WBC) on Thursday, adding to her 126-pound collection which already includes the World Boxing Organization (WBO) strap. The move came following a breakdown in talks regarding a targeted showdown with Edmonton’s Jelena Mrdjenovich, who has been named Emeritus Champion while remaining out of the ring for an indeterminate period.
WBA featherweight champion Jelena Mrdjenovich and Paola Torres stormed out of their corners from the opening bell and delivered the all-action fight they were promising leading up to the promotion.
Amanda Serrano can now look forward to a brighter future. The record setting seven-division and reigning featherweight titlist made quick work of familiar foe Dahiana Santana, scoring a 1st round knockout win Wednesday evening at Hotel Catalonia Malecon Center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.