Amanda Serrano’s Turn in Tampa and More Fight News
By David A. Avila
Brooklyn’s Amanda Serrano takes on yet another challenge in moving up to lightweight to face Spain’s Miriam Gutierrez.
A Serrano win assures a showdown with Katie Taylor early next year.
After winning seven weight division world titles and dominating every foe this year Serrano (41-1-1, 30 KOs) meets a bigger and equally strong foe in Gutierrez (14-1, 5 KOs) on Saturday Dec. 18, at Tampa, Florida. Showtime pay-per-view will televise the fight card that also features Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley II.
It’s not an easy fight for Serrano.
Physically the brunette Puerto Rican fighter has the built of a ballerina or fashion model. Petite is the best word to describe the fighter who packs power in both fists and ranks among the greatest fighters male or female.
How does she do it?
Skill and more skill are the reasons that she’s skewered and swept aside the competition in often easy fashion. And, of course, power can equalize any close fight Serrano engages in.
Gutierrez, 38, has a rough and tough style that didn’t work against an agile and speedy Katie Taylor last year when they met in London, England. Serrano doesn’t run. She moves in and breaks down the opposition. The Spanish lightweight expects her strength and longtime experience in the 135-pound limit division to help against Serrano.
This is the Spanish lightweights first time opposing an American fighter and usually that surprises Europeans. Their styles are quite different. But in many ways, Gutierrez has an American style that’s bent on aggression.
Despite pandemic conditions Serrano was able to establish herself as a draw by battering fellow pound for pound fighter Daniela Bermudez of Argentina and Mexico’s Yamileth Mercado. Both wins were seen on television by millions. It firmly established the attractive Boricua as a star.
For Serrano a win is crucial for her to move on and face Taylor for her undisputed lightweight crown. A showdown with the Irish fighter could be the greatest showdown in history for women. It could also set the bar for the future of elite women’s boxing.
Serrano versus Gutierrez is the co-main event with Jake “The Problem Child” Paul facing Tyron Woodley in a rematch in a cruiserweight fight at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Showtime pay-per-view will televise the fight card.
Katie Taylor Awaits
Undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor brushed aside Kazakhstan’s Firuza Sharipova by unanimous decision to retain the IBO, IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC lightweight world titles.
Now Taylor waits to see what happens with Amanda Serrano and Miriam Gutierrez. A win by the American fighter sets up a massive showdown between two of the very best fighters.
Few expected Sharipova to cause a problem for Taylor and there were not many moments to prove otherwise.
Seniesa and Marlen in Separate Title Defense
A Golden Boy Promotions card features Seniesa Estrada defending the WBA minimumweight world title against Guatemala’s Maria Santizo on Saturday Dec. 18. Also, Marlen Esparza defends the WBC flyweight world title against Mexico’s Anabel Ortiz on the same fight card. DAZN will stream both fights.
Estrada took two world titles away from champions this year. First, the East L.A. fighter ripped the WBA minimumweight title from Mexico’s Anabel Ortiz last March. Then, Estrada out-fought Japan’s Tsunami Tenkai for the WBO light flyweight title in one of the best female fights of the year.
She’s dropping down to minimumweight to defend against Santizo in a fight scheduled for 10 two-minute rounds. It was hoped that it would be three-minute rounds but that won’t be the case.
In the flyweight fight, Marlen Esparza makes her first WBC flyweight title defense against Anabel Ortiz who is moving up two weight divisions to make the challenge. The fight is set for 10, two-minute rounds.
The WBC does not allow three-minute round fights.
Esparza has her next set of opponents all primed and ready like a pool table with the balls all racked. If she passes Ortiz, she has Japan’s Naoko Fujioka with the WBA flyweight title ready to go. There also is Arely Mucino who edged Jacky Calvo in a riveting fight this past month in Anaheim. Then, there are other flyweights or possible foes like Argentina’s Yesica Bopp and Seniesa Estrada if she decides to move up.
Esparza, a Olympic medalist, has numerous options and the willingness to fight each and every one.
“I love fighting in the pros,” said Esparza.
More Fight News
Argentina
Marianela Ramirez (8-7-1) was the winner by majority decision after four rounds against Lorena Agoutborde (1-1-1) on Saturday Dec. 11. The featherweight bout was held in Cordoba.
Veronica Ruiz (1-0) defeated Mariquena Salega (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Dec. 11. The super flyweight match was held at Catamarca.
Sofia Rodriguez (4-5) won by knockout in the fourth round against Elizabeth Britos (1-11-1) on Friday Dec. 10. The lightweight match was held at Buenos Aires.
Florencia Zalazar (2-0) defeated Antonella Molina (1-11-1) by decision after four rounds on Friday Dec. 10. The super featherweight bout took place at Buenos Aires.
On Friday Dec. 17, lightweights Yarina Del Carmen (9-1) and Claudia Lopez (26-12) meet 10 rounds for the South American title at Concordia.
On Friday Dec. 17, lightweights Lucrecia Manzur (2-0) and Daiana Rodriguez (1-0) meet four rounds at San Miguel, Tucuman.
Australia
Tywarna Campbell (1-0-1) and Jessica Adams (0-0-1) fought to a majority draw after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 11. The Australian super featherweight title fight took place at Condell Park, New South Wales.
Canada
On Friday Dec. 17, super welterweights Marie Eve Dicaire (17-1) and Cynthia Lozano (9-0) meet 10 rounds for the IBF world title at Quebec.
On Saturday Dec. 18, super lightweights Laura Macphee (0-1) and Bonnie Hunter (0-0) meet four rounds at Halifax.
Colombia
Paola Rincon (1-0) beat Stefania Garnica (0-3) by majority decision after four rounds on Saturday Dec. 11. The bantamweight bout took place at Rio Negro.
France
Jeyssa Marcel (5-0) defeated Sandra Morcet (3-1) by split decision after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 11. The French super bantamweight title fight took place at Pierrefitte.
Laela El Ksiri (2-0) won by unanimous decision after four rounds versus Marijana Dasovic (0-12-1) on Saturday Dec. 11. The super featherweight bout was held at Tours.
Emma Gongora (2-2) was the winner by decision after six rounds against Marija Zivkovic (1-8-1) on Friday Dec. 10. The super lightweight fight took place at Marseille.
Nahed Kharchi (6-4) beat Natalia Terentiieva (0-2-1) by decision after six rounds on Friday Dec. 10. The super featherweight contest was held at Frejus.
Japan
Nanako Suzuki (6-2) won by split decision after six rounds against Sayo Segawa (1-2) on Thursday Dec. 9. The minimumweight fight was held at Tokyo.
Ai Sugimoto (3-2) knocked out Ai Kuwahara (0-1) in the fourth round on Wednesday Dec. 8. The flyweight fight was held in Tokyo. Also, Mika Yagio (1-1) knocked out Asako Sugawara (0-1-1) in the second round in a featherweight bout.
On Saturday Dec. 18, minimumweights Kaoru Iga (4-2-1) and Sarasa Ichimura (4-8-1) meet six rounds at Osaka in an all-women fight card. Others include minimumweights Marina Hamada (3-0-1) and Megumi Hosoda (3-2-1) six rounds; super flyweights Michiko Abiru (3-5) and Hinami Yanai (0-0) six rounds; atomweights Natsuki Tarui (4-7-2) and Sumire Yamanaka (3-0) four rounds; bantamweights Saeka Hori (0-2) and Ayumi Murakami (0-0) four rounds.
Kazakhstan
On Saturday Dec. 18, flyweights Angelina Lukas (0-0) and Svetlana Vasilevskaya (0-0) meet four rounds at Astana.
Mexico
Czarina McCoy (9-0) knocked out Ana Guevara (2-4) in the fifth round on Friday Dec. 10. The super flyweight bout took place in Monterrey.
On Wednesday Dec. 15, flyweights Asley Gonzalez (12-2) and Ivoon Merino (10-12-1) meet eight rounds at Monterrey.
On Thursday Dec. 16, super bantamweights Ericka Escobar (4-0) and Ambar Mendoza (1-0) meet four rounds at La Paz, Mexico.
On Friday Dec. 17, flyweights Naylea Gil (10-3-1) and Edna Maltos (4-6-1) meet six rounds at San Luis Rio Colorado.
Pakistan
On Saturday Dec. 18, atomweights Nimra Nisar Ahmed (2-1-1) and Umal Banin (0-0-1) meet four rounds at Quetta.
Poland
Angelika Krysztoforska (3-0) knocked out Tetiana Perevezentseva (0-4) in the third round on Friday Dec. 10. The super flyweight bout took place at Zukowo.
On Friday Dec. 17, flyweights Ewelina Pekalska (4-0) and Zulfa Macho (4-0) meet eight rounds at Radom.
Spain
Jennifer Miranda (6-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Jorgelina Guanini (9-3-2) on Sunday Dec.12. The featherweight regional title fight took place at Madrid.
Taiwan
Chian Huei Chin (1-1-2) beat Xiu Ru Liu (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Dec. 11. The flyweight bout took place at Taipei.
Thailand
On Saturday Dec. 18, atomweights Denis Castle (3-2) and Norj Guro (11-7-1) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Bankgkok. Also, flyweights Loetizia Campana (5-6) and Phannaluk Kongsang (7-8-1) meet 10 rounds for a regional title.
United Kingdom
Paige Murney (1-0) beat Karina Kopinska (14-46-4) by decision after six rounds on Sunday Dec. 12. The lightweight match was held at Leicester. Also, Ellis Hopkins (3-0) beat Ester Konecna (1-12-1) in a super welterweight fight.
Katie Taylor (20-0) defeated Firuza Sharipova (14-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 11. The lightweight world championship fight took place at Liverpool, England.
USA
Lateesha Mohi (1-0) won by decision after four rounds against Amber Swift (0-1) on Saturday Dec. 11. The super bantamweight fight took place at Harrisburg, Penn.
Dialika Perkins (1-1) knocked out Alexis Martinez (0-4) in the second round on Friday Dec. 10. The atomweight fight was held at Glendale, Arizona.
Danielle Bennett (3-1) beat Dawn Mazarakis (0-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Wednesday Dec. 8. The bantamweight fight was held at Kansas City, Missouri.
On Friday Dec. 17, bantamweights Alexis Araiza (0-0) and Macy Breaux (0-0) meet four rounds at Irving, Texas.
On Saturday Dec. 18, lightweights Amanda Serrano (41-1-1) and Spain’s Miriam Gutierrez (14-1) meet 10 rounds at Tampa, Florida. Serrano is a seven-division world titlist.
On Saturday Dec. 18, minimumweights Seniesa Estrada (21-0) and Maria Santizo (9-0) meet 10 three-minute rounds for the WBA world title at San Antonio, Texas. Also, flyweights Marlen Esparza (10-1) and Anabel Ortiz (31-4) meet 10 rounds for the WBC flyweight world title. DAZN will stream both title fights.
On Saturday Dec. 18, middleweights Olivia Curry (2-1) and Nina Gallegos (0-8) meet four three-minute rounds at Gary, Indiana.
On Saturday Dec. 18, super flyweights Ashley Sciscente (4-0) and Kedra Bradley (1-3) meet six rounds at Rock Hill, South Carolina.