Amanda Serrano vs Daniela Bermudez in PR and More Fight News
By David A. Avila
Always looking for challenges Amanda “Real Deal” Serrano got her wish and faces fellow pound for pound fighter Daniela “La Bonita” Bermudez for the WBO and WBC featherweight world titles.
More than that. They’re fighting for bragging rights to who is mas macha.
“I’m not really surprised because I know how tough she is and wants to prove she belongs amongst the elite,” said Serrano about Bermudez.
Serrano (39-1-1, 29 KOs), considered the hardest hitter in women’s prizefighting, meets Argentina’s Bermudez (29-3-3, 10 KOs) on Thursday March 25, at Salinas, Puerto Rico. NBC Sports Network will televise the Ring City USA fight card. It’s also available on the Twitch app.
Both Serrano and Bermudez have captured world titles in more than one weight class.
Bermudez, 31, has grabbed world titles in the super flyweight, bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions. She’s a boxer-puncher stylist who is aggressive and has not lost a fight since dropping a decision to fellow Argentine Yesica Bopp in 2014.
Thursday will be the second time Bermudez fights outside of her native country. Once before she ventured to Mexico City and dominated hometown fighter Mariana Juarez.
“I know that Amanda Serrano is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters but I will surprise her,” said Bermudez, 31, whose sister Evelyn Bermudez is also a current world titlist. “Coming from Argentina we always want to win.”
Since moving up in weight past 112 pounds, Bermudez has not lost a fight. She is relentless, fast and fires combination after combination.
Serrano, 32, has a record seven division world titles from super flyweight to super lightweight. The southpaw slugger has more knockouts than any female fighter today and recently stopped former world champion Dahiana Santana in the first round. Serrano is more than just a power-puncher, she uses a smooth pressure style behind combination punching to get into range. The Puerto Rican fighter loves challenges and expects one on Thursday.
“I know she is like me, a warrior, that loves to come forward and fight,” said Serrano while in Puerto Rico. “I’m ready for that type of fight and its the one I love.”
Over the years Serrano has challenged many of the best fighters in the world. Few have accepted her offers, mostly because of the firepower she possesses in either hand. It was a right hook that leveled Santana in less than one round this past December. But Serrano can also engage in technical affairs as she demonstrated against Heather Hardy and Mexico’s Yazmin Rivas.
“Not sure if (Bermudez) is as tough as Yazmin Rivas who I believe was my toughest opponent to date, but I’ll find out Thursday night,” said Serrano whose last defeat took place in 2012. It was by decision and was held in Sweden.
Since that loss, Serrano went on a tear and proceeded to knock out 22 foes including a demolition of Argentina’s Maria Maderna that took place in Buenos Aires and for the WBO lightweight world title.
It was during that venture to South America that she became aware of Argentine culture and its love for boxing.
“I can honestly say they are the classiest people ever. Both girls Maria Maderna and Yamila (Reynoso) are still my good friends,” said Serrano of her former Argentine foes who she defeated. “I think it’s their perfect Spanish that makes everything sounds so nice.”
Serrano doesn’t expect her battle with Bermudez to be a friendly affair once that bell rings.
“Daniela fights like me. Comes forward all-day,” said Serrano with a chuckle. “The question will be does she have my type of punching power? I’ll find out Thursday.”
It’s not often that you get two pound-for-pound fighters with real knockout power facing off.
Little giants
Also, on the same Ring City USA fight card will be former flyweight world champion Arely Mucino (28-3-2,10 KOs) in an eight-round super flyweight match against Lucia Hernandez-Nunez (7-10).
Mucino suffered a leg injury that took her out of action for almost two years. She has formerly held the WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF flyweight world titles on separate occasions.
Speaking of smaller weights, this past Saturday we saw the present and the future of the little giants of women’s boxing as Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada blitzed longtime WBA minimumweight champion Anabel “La Avispa” Ortiz. It was Estrada’s first world title though she is 28 and undefeated.
Estrada could have become a world champion years ago but felt the lack of exposure made it necessary to wait for the proper time. Her last three fights have resulted in massive exposure and now she is the WBA minimum weight world titlist. She is also the first female fighter from the unincorporated town of East Los Angeles to win a world title, a tiny region famous for developing world champions.
Now Estrada can add her name to the list that includes Leo Santa Cruz, Joey Olivo, Art Frias, Richie Lemos, Solly (Garcia) Smith, Sergio Mora and of course her boss Oscar De La Hoya. She is the only woman on the list.
More Fight News
Argentina
On Saturday March 27, flyweights Jazmin Villarino (3-1-1) and Roxana Bermudez (2-2-2) meet six rounds at Buenos Aires. Bermudez is the younger sister of Daniela Bermudez who fights on Thursday March 25 in Puerto Rico.
Australia
On Saturday March 27, super featherweights Krystina Jacobs (4-1) and Lorrinda Webb (2-1) meet 10 rounds for the WIBA title at Hobart, Tasmania.
Dominican Republic
On Saturday March 27, lightweights Dahiana Santana (36-13) and Diana Garcia (15-31) meet eight rounds at Santo Domingo. Six female bouts take place including: middleweights Yenebier (6-0) vs Jean Martinez (3-0), heavyweights Oxandia Castillo (17-3-3) vs Luisa Romero (0-17-1), super bantamweights Liliana Martinez (22-18) vs Mirna La Hoz (0-20), welterweights Claribel Mena (3-1) vs Maritza Alcantara (0-1), and welterweights Cristian Duverge (0-0) vs Zuleidy Diaz (0-21).
France
On Friday March 26, super lightweights Anissa Benyoub (4-2) and Elsa Hemat (1-2) meet eight rounds at Blagnac.
Germany
On Saturday March 27, super featherweights Cheyenne Hanson (7-1) and Alina Zaitseva (1-5) meet 10 rounds at Bayern.
On Saturday March 27, lightweights Maryna Malovana (3-0) and Kim Jaeckel (3-4) meet six rounds at Plettenberg.
Ghana
On Saturday March 27, featherweights Lucy Wildheart (6-1) and Flora Machela (6-7) meet eight rounds at Accra.
India
Rinky Inder (2-0) won by unanimous decision over Ramandeep Kaur (7-2) after six rounds on Friday March 19. The light flyweight fight took place at Panjim.
On Saturday March 27, super lightweights Rupinder Kaur (2-1-1) and Virpal Kaur (0-0) meet four rounds at Agra. Also, bantamweights Kamaljeet Kaur (1-0) and Ishu Dutta (0-0) meet four rounds.
Japan
Saemi Hanagata (16-7-5) and Eri Matsuda (4-0-1) fought to a split draw after 10 rounds on Thursday March 18. The IBF atomweight world title fight took place at Tokyo. After the fight, Hanagata announced her retirement. Also, atomweight Mana Kawaguchi (1-0) knocked out Reiko Mori (0-1) in the fourth round; plus light flyweight Moemi Inukai (2-0) beat Miyuki Katsuya (0-2-1) by decision after four rounds.
On Sunday March 28, flyweights Marina Hamada (2-0-1) and Michiko Abiru (2-4) meet four rounds at Kobe.
Malta
On Saturday March 27, lightweights Valgerdur Gudstensdottir (4-2) and Claire Sammut 4-6) meet eight rounds at St. Julians.
Mexico
Jackie Nava (37-4-4) defeated Karina Fernandez (14-6-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 20. The super bantamweight fight took place in Tijuana.
Sonia Osorio (14-7-2) and Adelaida Ruiz (9-0-1) fought to a technical draw on Saturday March 20 after two rounds. The WBC interim super flyweight match took place at Nuevo Vallarta.
On Friday March 26, minimum weights Luz Aguilar (5-2-1) and Carolina Garcia (2-11) meet four rounds at Matamoros.
On Saturday March 27, atomweights Dee Perkins (0-0) and Mitzi Velazco (0-1) meet four rounds at Patzcuaro.
New Zealand
On Friday March 26, lightweights Mea Motu (5-0) and Tania Reid (2-3-1) meet eight rounds for the New Zealand title at Northcote. Also, middleweights Ariane Nicholson (1-0) and Genah Fabian (0-0) meet six rounds.
Puerto Rico
Alma Ibarra (8-1) beat Maricela Cornejo (13-5) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Thursday March 18. The middleweight match was held at Salinas, Puerto Rico.
On Thursday March 25, featherweights Amanda Serrano (39-1-1) and Daniela Bermudez (29-3-3) clash for the WBO and WBC featherweight titles at San Juan. The epic world title fight will be televised live by NBC Sports Network. Also, Arely Mucino (28-3-2) and Lucia Hernandez (7-10) meet eight rounds in a super flyweight bout.
Russia
Elena Saveleva (6-1) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Olga Gurova (2-1) on Saturday March 20. The featherweight bout was held at Moscow. Also, Luiza Davydova (4-2) stopped Anastasia Kruzhkova (0-1) in the fifth round of a super welterweight bout.
On Saturday March 27, bantamweights Tatyana Zrazhevskaya (10-0) and Estrella Valverde (18-6-2) meet 10 rounds for the interim WBC bantamweight title at Ekaterinburg.
South Africa
Simangele Hadebe (8-3-2) was the winner by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Melissa Miller (5-10-3) on Saturday March 20. The bantamweight bout was held at Secunda.
Spain
Eva Diez (1-0) won by decision after four rounds against Hadria Bader (0-1-1) on Saturday March 20. The flyweight match took place at Badia del Valles.
Switzerland
Gabriela Timar (5-0) defeated Cristina Busuioc (0-4-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday March 20. The light flyweight fight was held at Basel.
Thailand
Pornchita Seehaburan (7-2) defeated Paphavadee Kongthon (0-4) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday March 20. The featherweight bout was held at Pathum Thani. Also, super flyweight Chisakan Ariphipat (5-0-1) knocked out Kannika Bangnara (1-5) in the second round; super bantamweight Napaporn Khieonoi (1-0) defeated Nattarat Prempida (1-3-1) by decision after six rounds.
United Kingdom
Ellie Scotney (2-0) won by unanimous decision over France’s Mailys Gangloff (4-2) after six rounds on Saturday March 20. The super bantamweight fight took place at London, England. Also, featherweight Ramla Ali (2-0) beat Bec Connolly (3-9) by unanimous decision after six rounds.
USA
Seniesa Estrada (20-0) soundly defeated Mexico’s Anabel Ortiz (31-4) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 20. The WBA minimum weight world title match took place at Fort Worth, Texas. Estrada fights out of East Los Angeles. It’s her first world title. Ortiz had not lost a world title fight since 2013.
On Friday March 26, super featherweights Fei Faiva (4-0-1) and Elizabeth Tuani (1-1) meet four rounds at Medley, Florida.
On Friday March 26, super flyweights Ashley Sciscente (1-0) and Kedra Bradley (1-0) meet four rounds at Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Venezuela
Yoselin Fernandez (10-0) knocked out Endrimar Pirona (1-16) in the third round on Friday March 19. The light flyweight fight took place at Caracas.
(Photo by Tom Hogan/Hogan Photos)