It was a bloody battle in the ring Saturday night (February 4) between Amanda Serrano and Erika Cruz, but when the final bell rang, Serrano came out victorious by unanimous decision.
The win earned Serrano the WBA featherweight title, which she added to her WBC, IBF, WBO, IBO & The Ring female featherweight titles. This means that Serrano became the first Puerto Rican to become the undisputed champion of the world with her six belts.
Serrano’s victory also secures her a rematch with undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor. Serrano and Taylor went head-to-head in April 2022 at Madison Square Garden (MSG) where Taylor won the 10-round fight by a split decision. It was the first women’s boxing match ever to headline MSG. The rematch between Serrano and Taylor will take place in Dublin, Ireland, on May 20, 2023.
After Serrano’s victory over Cruz, Taylor stepped into the ring to announce their fight. “This is more than a dream come true – my debut in Ireland against … ‘The Real Deal’ Amanda Serrano,” Taylor said. “This is incredible and as I said, the last fight was epic, and I expect nothing less for the next one.”
Last December, Serrano told ESPN that she believed a rematch between her and Taylor “solidifies women’s boxing.” Many boxing magazines called their first match the 2022 Fight of the Year.
“A lot of people want to see the fight,” Serrano said. “I think it puts the exclamation point and it shows that we’re here and we’re going to continue to take on challenges.”