Jorge J. Muñiz Ortiz
San Juan, Jan 10 (EFE). – Puerto Rican boxer Amanda Serrano, 36, who will defend her five featherweight titles in her homeland on March 2, revealed to EFE that she plans to retire after 50 victories, four from her current milestone.
The end of Serrano’s extraordinary career (46-2-1, 30 KOs) could come at the beginning of 2025.
For 2024, her first fight will be in March against Germany’s Nina Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs), 30 years old and the first to be classified by the IBF and WBA, at the Puerto Rico Coliseum.
“I talked with my coach (Jordan Maldonado) and I want to reach 50 victories,” Serrano said during the interview.
She explained that this fight will be her fiftieth fight, but wants to reach that number of victories before retiring.
Serrano will be defending her 126-pound (57-kilogram) International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO), World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Organization (IBO) and Ring Magazine titles against Meinke.
In addition, she will fight for these belts against Meinke, in twelve rounds of three minutes, the same as for male boxers.
Fight for equality
This will be the second time that Serrano will compete under the rules of men’s boxing, after she made history in October when she defeated Brazilian Danila Ramos to keep her IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles.
“We need equality and we need to be firm in the fact that women should have opportunities in whatever they want to do,” stressed the Puerto Rican, who has led a movement to ask that female boxers be able to choose to compete under men’s rules.
Not all organizations have been receptive to the request. The World Boxing Council (WBC) did not approve her request, and the athlete decided to leave the championship, admitting that she did not feel “regret.”
“I have my other ‘babies’ (championships). The other organizations approved it and I will fight for them,” she said.
Looking forward to her debut at the Puerto Rico Coliseum
The fight against Meinke will also be Serrano’s debut at the Puerto Rico Coliseum, the island’s main entertainment venue.
It will also be the first time the boxer has fought in front of her people since March 25, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she defeated Argentine Daniela Romina at the Plaza del Quinto Centenario in Old San Juan.
“The last time I fought was during the pandemic, so there weren’t many people,” Serrano said of her last experience in her country and her long-awaited desire to fight on her island.
“I am always happy to fight here, in my house, in front of my people, in the ‘coliseum’ where everyone comes and now it is my turn,” she pointed out.
Serrano also assured that she is “ready” to fight, which is why she trains every day.
She considers herself the best in her weight class.
That determination has helped Serrano become one of the top female boxers in history, winning titles in seven divisions.
Her milestones also include a $1 million price for a fight and fighting in the aforementioned 12-round, 3-minute brawl.
As a result, she considers herself “one of the best” fighters in history and “the best” in her weight or division.
Serrano also said that she has plans for late 2024 to fight again in mixed martial arts in the Professional Fighters League. EFE
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