Amanda Serrano, Erika Cruz Set for Featherweight Title Fight in January
Following the completion of her exciting trilogy with Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano is set to return to the ring this winter.
Per Andreas Hale of ESPN, Serrano will defend her WBO and WBA featherweight titles against Erika Cruz in front of her hometown fans at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 3.
Serrano and Cruz previously met in 2023 in an exciting and bloody affair that Serrano won by unanimous decision to become Puerto Rico's first undisputed champion in the four-belt era. The rematch will be contested under equal rules to men with 10 rounds lasting three minutes each.
"Every time I step into the ring, I fight for all women, for equality and for Puerto Rico," Serrano said in a statement. "Getting to fight three-minute rounds in a unified world title defense in front of my people will be one of the proudest moments of my career. When I got injured last March, I promised I'd come back to fight in Puerto Rico, and now the moment is finally here."
Despite going 0-3 against Taylor following their final meeting in July, Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) is still regarded as one of the best boxers in the world. Their rivalry helped raise women's boxing to new heights, as their trilogy fight headlined an all-women's fight card on Netflix.
Cruz (18-2-1, 4 KOs) has gone 3-0-1 since losing to Serrano two years ago. The former WBA featherweight champion is coming off a sixth-round TKO win over Maricruz Rodríguez González in May.
"I'm very happy and excited for this great opportunity to once again face the great Puerto Rican champion, Amanda Serrano," Cruz said in a statement. "I'm grateful to my promoter, Universal Promotions, and to MVP for making this rematch a reality. This is the most exciting rivalry in world boxing. Mexico versus Puerto Rico means a guaranteed war. If our first fight was a colossal battle, you can't miss what will happen on January 3. Viva Mexico!"
Serrano went on to thank Cruz for accepting the fight under men's boxing rules.
"I want to thank Erika Cruz for her choice to face me over 10 x 3:00 (minute rounds) and for joining me in making this statement for equality in women's boxing," Serrano said. "Together, we are showing all the young girls out there that they can do anything they put their mind to, and that women's boxers deserve the same opportunities as men."
