Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano and More News in Women’s Boxing
By David A. Avila
Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor met in New York City on Monday to promote their upcoming rematch on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Tickets go on sale on Thursday May 16 at noon on Seatgeek.com.
Many experts consider Serrano and Taylor’ s first encounter as the greatest female fight of all time. Some consider it one of the greatest fights regardless of gender. It has been established as the benchmark for greatness in the sport of boxing.
Serrano and Taylor will be headlining alongside Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson. It’s a Most Valuable Promotions fight card that intrigues most boxing fans and especially fans who normally do not follow boxing.
Even Taylor is thoroughly intrigued.
“And one of the things I said is I’d love to meet Mike Tyson and here you are beside me, an icon of the sport, a legend of the sport. And this is just incredible,” said Taylor who sat next to Tyson during the press conference in New York. “He’s just a legend and icon on the sport.”
Serrano is currently the undisputed featherweight world champion moving up three weight divisions to face Taylor the undisputed super lightweight world champion. It’s a rematch that the world wants to see.
“I think it was always going to happen because Katie and my name are always going to be attached to each other no matter what, and I’m glad to be a part of this to be alongside Katie Taylor. She’s a great champion,” said Serrano.
As a boxing journalist who began in 1985, in my opinion, this will be a remarkable night in the sport of prizefighting.
Bantams in Australia
Controversey stained a bantamweight battle in Australia and a super bantamweight clash in Mexico.
It wasn’t a good day for title fights.
In Australia, Perth hosted the WBA bantamweight title fight between England’s Nina Hughes and New Zealand’s Cherneka “Sugar Neetz” Johnson. After 10 rounds the ring announcer read the cards wrong and called Hughes the winner. It was soon corrected and then he announced Johnson the winner.
Never ever hire a ring announcer that does not regularly cover boxing events. Even the best make mistakes. It’s not as easy as it looks.
It happens every time you hire Joe Blow from Kokomo. He may be a friend, or someone in need of a job, but boxing requires knowledge of the game and the intricacies of reading a scorecard. It’s a ceremony with a tradition that goes back more than 400 years.
It looks simple, but there little things in boxing that require expertise such as reading the exact time of a knockout.
Lately, some ring announcers have taken to imitating UFC’s Bruce Buffer with his screaming introductions. But the imitators neglect to annunciate and all the crowd hears is a gargled mess.
Others spend so much time imitating Michael Buffer’s suave delivery style and trademark intro “Let’s get ready to rumble” and forget the fighter’s names, weight and origin.
Promoters need to hire pro ring announcers. Real pros. Boxing pros like Jimmy Lennon Jr., Joe Martinez, David Diamante, and Lupe Contreras. These are the elite whether its television or not, these are the big four.
Mexican draw
WBA super bantamweight titlist Erika Cruz head butted her way to a split-draw against Argentina’s Nazarena Romero after 10 see-saw rounds in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Cruz has a penchant for lowering her head and diving forward to get into punching range. Its one reason most of her fights result in a bloody mess. Against Romero the clash of heads occurred in almost every round.
Not that Cruz is a bad fighter, she also can take a punch better than most, but her “Billy Goat” style of fighting is like fighting a person with three arms and hands.
When Cruz fought Amanda Serrano in February 2023, it was never more evident as they clashed heads over and over again. Both were bloodied beyond recognition after 10 rounds. Not from punches but from head clashes.
Referees need to be aware and more dutiful about warning fighters about their butting.
More Fight News
Argentina
Mercedes Reyna (4-0-2) and Daiana Ortiz (2-1-2) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday May 11. The flyweight match took place in Buenos Aires.
Australia
Cherneka Johnson (16-2) defeated Nina Hughes (6-1) by majority decision after 10 rounds on Saturday May 11. The WBA bantamweight title fight took place in Perth.
On Saturday May 18, bantamweights Ali Jensen (0-8) and Erini Ramirez (2-2-1) meet six rounds at Carrara.
Bangladesh
On Sunday May 19, super bantamweights Brishti Khatun (2-1-1) and Jui Lima (3-0) meet eight rounds at Dhaka.
Canada
On Thursday May 16, light flyweights Kim Clavel (18-2) and Katherine Lindenmuth (6-2) meet 10 rounds in Montreal.
Colombia
Elise Soto (4-0) knocked out Sasthy Ramirez (4-4) in the first round on Friday May 10. The super bantamweight fight took place in Carmen De Apicala.
France
Minerva Gutierrez (5-4) defeated Megan Ouvrard (5-5-2) by decision after six rounds on Saturday May 11. The bantamweight fight was held in Rochefort.
Narymane Berche (2-1) beat Stefany Sale (0-2) by decision after four rounds on Saturday May 11. The featherweight fight took place in Frouzins.
Italy
On Friday May 17, light flyweights Silvia Bignami (4-0) and Giorgia Scolastri (4-2) meet 10 rounds at Rome for a regional title.
Japan
On Thursday May 16, minimumweights Mayumi Nakano (6-1) and Marina Loreto (6-0-2) meet eight rounds at Tokyo for regional titles.
Mexico
Erika Cruz (17-2-1) and Nazarena Romero (13-0-2) fought to a split draw after 10 rounds on Saturday May 11. The WBA super bantamweight title fight took place in Aguascalientes.
On Friday May 17, flyweights Yesenia Gomez (20-6-4) and Cecilia Rodriguez (12-1-1) meet eight rounds at Chetumal, Quintana Roo.
New Zealand
Tinta Smith (1-2-1) won by split decision after eight rounds versus Sequita Hemingway (2-6) on Saturday May 11. The New Zealand cruiserweight title fight was held in Hamilton.
Hannah Walker (1-0) beat Rajwant Kaur (4-3) by decision after four rounds on Saturday May 11. The lightweight match was held in Tauranga.
Russia
On Saturday May 18, super bantamweights Elena Saveleva (8-1) and Halima Vunjabei (14-12-1) meet six rounds at Moscow. Also, super welterweights Elizaveta Tokareva (1-0) and Fatuma Yazidu (20-11-1) meet six rounds.
Spain
On Saturday May 18, light flyweights Keylin Maradiaga (6-0-1) and Dorina Sandor (1-0) meet six rounds at Madrid.
Thailand
Mai Nixon (1-1) knocked out Manatsawee Srithongkham (1-9) in the fourth round on Thursday May 10. The featherweight fight was held in Bangkok. Also, super featherweight Vishakha Vartiya (3-1) beat Suwanan Akapunya (3-4) in four.
United Kingdom
Lauren Price (7-0) defeated Jessica McCaskill (12-4-1) by technical decision after nine rounds on Saturday May 11. The WBA and IBO welterweight title fight was held in Cardiff, Wales.
Kirsty Hill (7-2) beat Fatuma Zarika (34-14-2) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday May 11. The regional super featherweight title match was held in Blackpool.
Tori-Ellis Willetts (4-0) beat Liubov Oksha (1-1-1) by decision after six rounds on Friday May 10. The featherweight fight was held in Birmingham. Also, super featherweight Sian O’Toole (5-0) beat Yaiza Souto (1-7) in six.
USA
Suzana Rodriguez (1-0) won by decision over Helen Lucero (0-3) in a four-round fight on Saturday May 11. The super featherweight match was held in Indianapolis. Plus, featherweight Jessica Prince (1-0) knocked out Trinity Stone (0-4) in one.
Mikiah Kreps (8-0) defeated Melissa Odessa Parker (6-3) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Friday May 10. The super bantamweight fight was held in Niagara Falls, New York.
Bree Howling (7-0) won by decision after eight rounds versus Nancy Franco (19-20-2) on Friday May 10. The bantamweight fight was held in Philadelphia, Pa. Also, lightweight Stephanie Han (8-0) beat Michaele Nogue (2-5-1) in six.
Precious Harris-McCray (1-0) knocked out Jina Bynum (0-3) in the first round on Tuesday May 7. The super middleweight fight was held in Nashville, Tenn.
On Saturday May 18, featherweights Brittany Dukes (0-6-2) and Alexis Bolduc (1-0) meet four rounds at Topeka, Kansas.
(Photo by Most Valuable Promotions)