Amanda Serrano finally has all four belts in her weight class. Next, she can have revenge on Katie Taylor.
Serrano on Saturday night wore down a bloody Erika Cruz and won a unanimous decision to become the undisputed featherweight champion and set up a rematch with fellow champ Taylor.
They fought a thriller last year at Madison Square Garden and are expecting nothing less in Ireland on May 20.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“The last fight was an epic fight, and I think the next one’s going to be exactly the same,” Taylor said.
Before that, Serrano got the better of a bout in which the fighters stood close and kept swinging throughout, emerging with the victory by scores of 98-92 on two cards and 97-93 on the other.
Cruz spent much of the fight wiping away blood from near her eyes after a clash of heads in the third round, with the Mexican’s light blue outfit turning progressively redder during the bout.
Afterward, promoter Eddie Hearn said that Serrano (44-2-1, 30 KOs) and Taylor, who joined him in the ring, would meet again.
Taylor, the undisputed champion at lightweight, edged Serrano by split decision on April 30 last year, before a sold-out crowd in the first women’s match to headline at Madison Square Garden.
Back in the Garden, this time in the smaller Hulu Theater, Serrano found herself with another tough test, but this one went her way.
She said the next one will, too.
“I’ve done enough and I will do more,” Serrano said of the rematch.
The match with Taylor was one of the most significant in women’s boxing history and lived up to the hype, earning numerous fight of the year awards. Taylor won most of the late rounds to pull it out, perhaps a little stronger with Serrano moving up two weight classes to fight her.
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