Amanda Serrano Prepping for Katie Taylor and More News
By David A. Avila
Brooklyn’s finest and perhaps the world’s, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano will meet Spain’s Miriam Gutierrez in a lightweight clash on December 18; it was announced on Monday by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions
“Miriam is an extremely tough opponent, with her only loss coming to one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” said Serrano about Gutierrez. “I am looking forward to stepping in the ring with her and proving why I am at the top of women’s boxing.”
The hard-hitting Serrano (41-1-1, 30 KOs) seeks to vanquish Spain’s number one lightweight Gutierrez (14-1, 6 KOs) on December 18, to prove where she ranks with future superstar foe Katie Taylor.
It’s the co-feature along with popular Jake Paul facing Tommy Fury in a cruiserweight clash at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida. Both fights will be televised on Showtime pay-per-view live.
Paul was in Las Vegas this past weekend for the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez victory over Caleb Plant to claim the undisputed super middleweight status, the top male fighter pound for pound and the number one boxing attraction in the world. Paul said that his last fight card along with Serrano puts them as this year’s second biggest attraction.
Serrano, a record seven-division world titlist in boxing, was unable to make the Las Vegas press conference due to training. Though she was in previous pursuit of a featherweight undisputed status, she is willing to move up to the lightweight division to first fight Gutierrez, then fight Taylor.
“Amanda Serrano is an icon in the sport and when I step into that ring on December 18, it will be a pivotal moment in my career. I respect what she does, but it’s a risk coming up to 135. I’ve been competing at this level for most of my career and the competition is tough,” said Gutiérrez who fought and lost by decision to Taylor last November 2020.
Paul, who promotes Serrano, chose the brunette prizefighter because of her incredible abilities and he wants to assist in advancing women’s prizefighting to another level.
“The simple fact she is the GWOAT. No debating that,” said Paul at the press conference in Las Vegas. “She needs to be put on a bigger platform.”
A win over Gutierrez catapults Serrano to a future clash with Katie Taylor.
“I’m taking a risk by moving up in weight. In women’s boxing, we have to go to where the opportunities are and I want to be able to do things that not every girl can do. And that’s win multiple divisions in different ways from 140 all the way down to 115,” said Serrano. “I know that if my record is ever broken, which I don’t think it will, it won’t be done the way that I did it.”
Mayer and Tournament
Now that Mikaela Mayer has passed the hurdle posed by France’s Maiva Hamadouche, it’s now up to England’s Terri Harper and America’s Alycia Baumgardner on Saturday Nov. 13, in Sheffield, England. DAZN will stream the card.
Harper, the WBC titlist, faces Baumgardner to decide who moves on with the super featherweight tournament. It was supposed to be Korea’s Hyun Mi Choi but injuries to Harper postponed the fight and Choi went in another direction. Baumgardner is a true threat.
Bantamweight Battle
WBO bantamweight world titlist Dina Thorslund (16-0) meets Mexico’s Zulina Munoz (53-3-2) on Saturday Nov. 13, in a 10-round battle for the WBO world title at Kolding, Denmark. This will be her first defense of the title she won by defeating another Mexican fighter Jasseth Noriega this past June.
Munoz, 34, is a former super flyweight world titlist who is moving up. She has a vast amount of experience. Thorslund, 28, is a former super bantamweight world titlist who moved down in weight. Both are explosive and aggressive fighters. It should be an action-packed world championship fight.
Juarez Sisters
Lourdes “La Pequena” Juarez (32-2) defends the WBC super flyweight title against Luz Aguilar (7-2-1) on Friday Nov. 12, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Last week her sister Mariana “Barby” Juarez was defeated by Jackie Nava in a battle of former world champions.
Mexico City’s Lourdes Juarez is making the second defense of the title she took from Guadalupe Martinez a year ago. Once again she fights another Mexican super flyweight in Aguilar who is 19 years-old and fights out of Oaxaca.
More Fight News
Argentina
Carla Merino (6-2) defeated Aixa Adema (3-7-5) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 6. The South American super flyweight title fight was held at Cordoba.
Lucia De Los Angeles (3-6) beat Jennifer Meza (4-3) by majority decision after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 6. The flyweight fight was held in Buenos Aires. Also, Augustina Vazquez (2-0) beat Claudia Landaida (0-2-1) by decision in a minimumweight fight; plus featherweight Maria Mazzarello (2-0) beat Rosa Perez (0-2).
Daniela Urena (1-1-1) and Nicole Morales (0-2-1) drew after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 6. The featherweight fight took place in Buenos Aires.
Florencia Ayelen Juarez (8-1) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Natalia Alderete (3-5) on Friday Nov. 5. The South American bantamweight title fight was held at Buenos Aires.
Colombia
Carisse Brown (5-1) won by technical knockout in the second round over Haidde Zapa (3-8) on Saturday Nov. 6. The lightweight fight was held in Tulua.
On Saturday Nov. 13, flyweights Clara Lescurat (4-0) and Oscarys Zarraga (6-0-1) meet eight rounds for a title at Medelliin. Also, bantamweights Veronica Zuluaga (3-0) and Kimberlin Reina (3-4) meet six rounds.
Denmark
On Saturday Nov. 13, bantamweights Dina Thorslund (16-0) and Mexico’s Zulina Munoz (53-3-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBO world title at Kolding.
France
Clothilde Del Ben (1-0) won by decision after four rounds versus Angela Cannizzaro (6-12-1) on Saturday Nov. 6. The bantamweight fight was held at Marne.
Germany
Janina Neumann (4-0) knocked out Ejimkonye Grace (0-2) in the second round on Sunday Nov. 7. The super middleweight match took place at Rhineland Phalz. Also, Cecile Forstner (4-0) defeated Nora Zoller (0-2) by decision after six rounds in a super featherweight bout.
On Friday Nov.12, super welterweights Naomi Mannes (6-0) and Nana Chakhvashivili (7-17) meet six rounds at Nordrhein-Westfalen.
On Saturday Nov. 13, featherweights Cheyenne Hanson (9-2) and Ilka Adam (2-1) meet 10 rounds at Bayern. Also, super lightweights Sarah Weidmann (1-0) and Kateryna Drozd (0-3) meet four rounds.
On Saturday Nov.13, lightweights Ramona Graeff (1-0) and Marina Sakharov (5-13-2) meet six rounds at Dusseldorf.
Italy
Maria Cecchi (6-0) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds against Bec Connolly (3-11) on Friday Nov. 5. The super bantamweight match took place at Roma.
Luxembourg
On Saturday Nov. 13, featherweights Angela Cannizzaro (6-12-1) and Nancy Faure-Geors (0-0) meet four rounds at Dudelange.
Mexico
On Friday Nov. 12, super flyweights Lourdes Juarez (32-2) and Luz Elena Aguilar (7-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBC world title at Puerto Vallarta.
On Saturday Nov. 13, flyweights Maria Bautista (18-11-2) and Nora Cardoza (15-8-2) meet eight rounds at Torreon. Also, bantamweights Barbara Vazquez (4-0) and Alondra Prado (4-4-2) meet eight rounds.
New Zealand
On Saturday Nov. 13, welterweights Mea Motu (10-0) and Rangi Hetet (1-1) meet eight rounds for the New Zealand title at Auckland.
South Korea
On Sunday Nov. 14, super flyweights Hee Jung Yuh (23-3) and Chisakan Ariphipat (7-0-1) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Gimhae.
Taiwan
Ching Hsin Wang (2-1-1) and Chian Huei Chin (0-2-1) fought to a split draw after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 6. The flyweight match was held in Taipei.
United Kingdom
Nicola Barke (1-0) won by decision after six rounds against Tereza Dvorakova (4-6) on Saturday Nov.6. The super lightweight bout took place at Kent.
Hannah Rankin (11-5) defeated Maria Lindberg (19-8-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday Nov. 5. The IBO and WBA super welterweight world title fight was held at London. It was Rankins second time winning the IBO title. Also, Lilyella Craw-Seaman (1-0) beat Este Konecna (1-11-1) by decision in a super welterweight fight.
Emma Dolan (2-0) beat Claudia Ferenczi (20-85-8) by decision after four rounds on Friday Nov. 5. The bantamweight fight took place at Norfolk.
On Friday Nov.12, super featherweights Kirsty Hill (0-0) and Effychia Kathopouli (4-2) meet six rounds at Yorkshire.
On Saturday Nov. 13, super featherweights Terri Harper (11-0-1) and Alycia Baumgardner (10-1) meet 10 rounds for the WBC world title at Sheffield. Also, featherweights Raven Chapman (1-0) and Karina Kopinska (14-44-4) meet six rounds.
On Saturday Nov. 13, super featherweights Kristine Shergold (6-6) and Angelica Finch (2-0) meet four rounds at Somerset.
USA
Mikaela Mayer (16-0) defeated Maiva Hamadouche (22-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday Nov. 5. The WBO and IBF super featherweight world title fight took place at Las Vegas.
(Photo by Matt May)