Maira Moneo to Fight Caroline Dubois in England Next Month

Maira Moneo is up for a new challenge…

The 31-year-old Uruguayan woman professional boxer and WBC interim world lightweight champion will fight Caroline Dubois at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley, England, on August 3.

Maira MoneoThe victor will take a step closer to a shot at the WBC world lightweight title, held by two-weight undisputed champion Katie Taylor of Ireland, who faces Amanda Serrano in a rematch on the undercard of Jack Paul and Mike Tyson‘s fight in Texas on Nov. 15.

Taylor is also undisputed super lightweight champion and will defend those titles against Serrano.

Moneo (14-1, 3 KO), 31, from Montevideo, is more experienced than Dubois and in December 2022 outpointed two-division world champion Erica Anabella Farias.

Her only defeat came by disqualification, due to a clash of heads versus Yanina del Carmen Lescano in 2020.

Dubois (9-0, 5 KOs), 23, of London, has also signed a long-term promotional deal with U.K.-based BOXXER as she targets progressing to a world title shot later this year, or a clash with Taylor in 2025.

Dubois, who turned professional in 2022 after competing at the last Olympics, said: “I’m ready to announce myself on the big stage. I want to be world champion. I want to be fighting for world titles against the likes of [WBO champion] Rhiannon Dixon, [IBF champion] Beatriz Ferreira and [WBC and WBA champion] Taylor. I want to unify the division. I want to be undisputed and then I want to move up in weight.

“Moneo is a fight that can propel me to the next level. She is going to bring that South American mentality, tenacity and energy. She has a lot of experience. She’s going to be aggressive and nonstop punching and I’m ready and I’m excited for that.

“Every time I step in the ring, I want to do damage. I want to excite people. I want people to say: ‘Wow, that Caroline Dubois, she’s something special!’ Whether it’s a knockout or a 10-round beatdown, I want to be the standout performance of the night, and on August 3rd, I’m coming to steal the show.

“After this fight, I will be on a collision course with Katie Taylor. I will be the interim champion, her mandatory and unless she vacates, we’re fighting next.”

It will be a big couple of months for the Dubois family as Caroline’s brother Daniel makes a first defence of the IBF world heavyweight title against English rival Anthony Joshua, the former champion, at Wembley Stadium on Sept. 21.

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Erika Cruz to Defend WBA Junior Featherweight Title Against Nazarena Romero

Erika Cruz is going on the defensive…

The 33-year-old  Mexican professional boxer will defend her WBA junior featherweight title against Nazarena Romero on Saturday, May 11, per promoter Matchroom Boxing.

Erika Cruz,The fight at the Palenque de la Feria National de San Marcos in Aguascalientes, Mexico, will be the co-main event of Eduardo Hernandez‘s junior lightweight bout against Daniel Lugo.

Cruz (17-2, 3 KOs) is a two-division champion. She won the WBA featherweight belt with a technical decision victory over Jelena Mrdjenovich in April 2021. She made two successful defenses before losing the title to Amanda Serrano in a unification bout in February 2023. Cruz then moved up in weight and defeated Mayerlin Rivas in November to grab the WBA title at 122 pounds.

Her focus now is on title unification.

“I’m stepping into the ring not just to defend my title, but to conquer,” Cruz said in a news release. “Romero may be the mandatory opponent, but my sights are set on bigger dreams. Yamileth Mercado [WBC], Ellie Scotney [IBF], Segolene Lefebvre [WBO] — I’m coming for all the belts. Romero won’t be the one to stand in the way of my destiny.”

Romero (13-0-1, 7 KOs), of Argentina, will be fighting in her second consecutive title bout. In June, she challenged Rivas for the WBA junior featherweight belt, but the bout ended in a technical draw after Romero, who suffered a cut over her left eye because of an accidental clash of heads, was unable to continue. She now has another chance at the same belt against Cruz.

“I think my time has come,” Romero said. “In my life nothing was, is, or will be easy. I was born for this, and I feel like the best of all. I prepare like a champion, I think like a champion and I need to live like a champion.”

Amanda Serrano to Fight Nina Meinke in Puerto Rico This March

Amanda Serrano is ready to battle in her homeland…

The 35-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, the boxing unified women’s featherweight champion, will headline a fight in Puerto Rico early next year — with Jake Paul in the co-main event, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has announced.

Amanda SerranoSerrano will defend her belts against Germany’s Nina Meinke on March 2 in San Juan. Paul will compete against an opponent yet to be named in the co-headliner. And 17-year-old Javon “Wanna” Walton, an up-and-coming Hollywood star who has a role in the hit show Euphoria, will make his professional boxing debut on the card.

Serrano vs. Meinke is contracted for 12 three-minute rounds. It will be Serrano’s second straight bout competing over three-minute rounds, which is the men’s standard in boxing and is not regularly used for women. Serrano relinquished her WBC women’s featherweight title earlier this month because the sanctioning body would not let her defend the belt in bouts with three-minute rounds.

Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) has won four straight since falling in a close loss to Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in April 2022. “The Real Deal” successfully defended her titles against Danila Ramos on October 27. Serrano will be fighting in Puerto Rico for the first time since becoming undisputed champ.

Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs) has won six straight and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Laura Ledezma in October. She has never competed outside of Europe.

Paul (8-1, 5 KOs), a 26-year-old YouTuber-turned-prizefighter, just fought December 15, beating Andre August with a huge uppercut knockout in the first round. The fight in Puerto Rico will represent another lower-profile bout as he gains experience and seasoning en route to what he and his team hopes is a future shot at a boxing world championship.

Also on the card, WBO junior flyweight champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez will make his third title defense and 21-year-old Serrano protégé Krystal Rosado will compete in her third pro fight. Both also hail from Puerto Rico.

Amanda Serrano Defeats Danila Ramos in Historic Unified Women’s Championship Fight

Amanda Serrano is a unified women’s champion…

After throwing more than 1,100 punches in the first unified women’s championship fight contested at 12 three-minute rounds, the 35-year-old Puerto Rican boxer beat Danila Ramos by unanimous decision, earning three 120-108 scores to retain the IBF, WBO and WBA titles.

Amanda SerranoIt was a night Serrano had hoped would be a potential change for women’s boxing.

“What’s so funny is that when I was in there, I really couldn’t feel the difference,” Serrano said. “In the sixth round, I was like, is it really three minutes or did they go back to two minutes?

“I felt good. I was in really good shape. I trained really hard for this fight knowing I had to go out there and prove to everybody, prove people right or prove people wrong, that women can do whatever they put their minds to.”

Serrano and Ramos showed they could do that — same as any male fighters. At the end, Serrano and Ramos hugged near the center of the ring. There were no knockdowns, no dynamic finishes — just a strong 12-round fight for the WBA, WBO and IBF featherweight titles.

It was a fight Serrano wanted for a while and one Ramos took nearly immediately, understanding the ramifications of being one half of history.

“I knew this was the time,” Ramos said through an interpreter. “This was the time for me to come through, come by and to let the world meet me. I’ve have always been a woman who fought for equality and women’s rights.”

It was in the championship rounds, where Serrano and Ramos had not been before, where the fight had its most electrifying moments. Chants of “Amanda! Amanda! Amanda!” reverberated throughout the sellout crowd at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, where Puerto Rican flags sat on every seat and were waved liberally throughout the night.

Serrano shined in those rounds. Her best punch of the night might have been a straight right in the 10th, which landed flush on Ramos’ head. Serrano came close to getting a stoppage in that round, bringing the crowd to its feet for one of the few times all night.

It had been a vintage half-round from Serrano, what she had so often shown in the two-minute-round fights she’d been in for more than a decade. It continued throughout the 11th round as well, with the Serrano punching Ramos around the ring.

Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KO) landed 338 of 1,103 punches — averaging 92 punches a round, reminiscent of her typical style. Ramos (12-3, 1 KO) averaged 71 punches a round and landed 120 of 846 punches.

And at the end, Serrano made it clear she wants to fight only three-minute rounds going forward. Her team said that as well — insisting they would not take on potential challengers Skye Nicolson or Alycia Baumgardner if they wanted to fight at two minutes.

At this point in her career, Serrano said, three minutes is what she wants to do.

“She’s the ‘A side,'” Serrano’s promoter, Nakisa Bidarian said. “She’s the decision maker. You want to fight Amanda Serrano, you come to Amanda Serrano’s house.”

It started, too, like a typical men’s fight, with both Serrano and Ramos feeling each other out over the first few rounds. Serrano and her trainer, Jordan Maldonado, said that was part of the plan — see what worked and what didn’t.

“I had to,” Serrano said. “It was the first 12, 3-minute rounds. I want to make sure I just didn’t give it everything I had in the first couple rounds just in case.”

Certainly more than they would in a typical two-minute-round women’s fight. By the third, though, Serrano’s typical aggressive style started to pick up.

Amanda Serrano Set to Make History in First Women’s Bout with 12 Three-Minute Rounds

Amanda Serrano is preparing for a historic bout…

When the 34-year-old Puerto Rican boxer, the undisputed featherweight champion, defends her WBA, IBF and WBO belts against Danila Ramos on October 27 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, the two will fight 12 three-minute rounds instead of the official 10 two-minute rounds for title fights in women’s boxing.

Amanda SerranoThis will be the first women’s unified championship fight ever fought under the same rules as the men.

Serrano will defend her titles against Ramos, the WBO mandatory challenger, in a fight approved by all three sanctioning bodies and the Florida Athletic Commission and put on by Most Valuable Promotions, run by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.

“This fight is about more than some belts,” Serrano said in a statement. “We have faced a long and hard battle, united as women, to achieve the same pay, respect, and recognition in boxing.

“Together, on Friday, October 27, we will make history and prove to the world once again how incredible women’s boxing is and that we are just as tough, dynamic, and capable as any man in the ring, if not more so. This is a fight for women everywhere to be treated the same as their male counterparts.”

The number of rounds and the length of rounds for championship fights have been issues in women’s boxing for years — often brought up by many of the top fighters in the sport. When Serrano fought Katie Taylor for Taylor’s undisputed lightweight titles in 2022 — a fight that became the biggest event in women’s boxing history — Serrano lobbied for three-minute rounds but mentioned it publicly only after contracts had been signed. Serrano-Taylor was fought with 10 two-minute rounds.

 

There have been women’s title fights with three-minute rounds before — notably when Seniesa Estrada stopped Marlen Esparza in the ninth round for the WBA interim flyweight title in November 2019, but Estrada-Esparza was 10 rounds. Other high-level fighters, including pound-for-pound No. 1 and current undisputed middleweight champion Claressa Shields, have advocated for 12 rounds or three-minute rounds — or both — in the past.

 

In 2021, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN, “if I could get three-minute rounds, I would sign a number of women.” He believes it could add more excitement and opportunity. Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe also told ESPN in 2021 that he believed the longer rounds would increase popularity in women’s boxing. Former Golden Boy matchmaker Robert Diaz also told ESPN in 2021 that he felt world title fights should be three-minute rounds.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán told ESPN in 2021 that he would not sanction three-minute round fights because he considers it a safety issue. He said his organization, which sanctions Serrano’s featherweight title, would not change its stance until “there is clear medical research clearance to do any changes.”

In MMA, men and women fight the same number of rounds and same number of minutes — three five-minute rounds for undercard fights and five five-minute rounds for championship fights and main events. This is a step toward giving equal fighting balance to women in boxing too.

Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KO) last fought in August, when she defeated Heather Hardy by unanimous decision in Dallas to defend her undisputed featherweight title. The seven-division world champion will be making the sixth defense of her WBO title and second defense of her WBA belt. Other than a split-decision loss to Taylor as a challenger to Taylor’s undisputed lightweight championship in 2022, Serrano has not lost a fight since 2012, and she has never been beaten as a featherweight, her natural fighting weight.

Ramos (12-2, 1 KO), 38, became the mandatory challenger in August when she defeated Brenda Karen Carabajal by split decision in Buenos Aires. She has won her past four fights — but three have come by split or majority decision. She has fought for interim titles three times — beating Carabajal and losing to Katharina Thanderz and Elhem Mekhaled. Ramos has never been stopped in her career.

In this fight, Ramos will be part of history.

The last known major women’s fights of 12 three-minute rounds came in 2007, when Layla McCarter defeated Donna Biggers on January 5 and Melissa Hernandez on February 14, both in Las Vegas. Neither one went the distance, as McCarter stopped Biggers in the second round and Hernandez in the eighth round. Now, on a bigger stage — the fight will be televised as a main event on DAZN — a 12-round three-minute fight will be happening again.

“Fighting Amanda Serrano for 12 three-minute rounds for a unified championship is set to break the barriers that we women have been looking to do for many years,” Ramos said in a statement. “We will go down in history and in the books.”

WBO Orders Undisputed Featherweight Champion Amanda Serrano to Fight Danila Ramos in Mandatory Title Defense

Amanda Serrano has been assigned her next opponent…

The WBO has ordered the 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, the undisputed featherweight champion, to have a mandatory title defense against Danila Ramos, potentially lining up the next fight for ESPN‘s No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter.

Amanda SerranoBoth Serrano and Ramos last fought earlier this month.

Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KO) beat Heather Hardy by a unanimous decision in Dallas, and Ramos (12-2, 1 KO) defeated Brenda Karen Carabajal by split decision in Buenos Aires.

If the fight gets made, it will be the sixth defense of the WBO title for Serrano.

Ramos, 38, has been in three “interim” title fights in her career — losing a unanimous decision to Elhem Mekhaled for the WBC interim junior lightweight title in 2019, a split decision loss to Katharina Thanderz for the same belt later in 2019 and then defeating Carabajal for the “interim” WBO featherweight title earlier this month.

It’s not clear why there’s an interim title in the division since Serrano has been active since beating Hardy for the WBO title in 2019.

The WBO is giving the two sides 10 days to negotiate and come to a fight agreement before it gets sent to purse bid.

Amanda Serrano Defeats Heather Hardy to Retain Undisputed Featherweight Titles

Amanda Serrano is keeping her titles…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler won a unanimous decision over Heather Hardy — 99-91, 100-90, 100-90 — to retain her undisputed featherweight titles.

Amanda Serrano,The friends had known each other for more than a decade and as much as the opportunity to win a title, this was about taking care of one another.

Hardy earned her biggest payday — her first six-figure paycheck — at age 41. Serrano got some good work in and dominated throughout, outlanding Hardy 278-149 and outthrowing her 739-557.

“Heather is a hell of a fighter,” Serrano said in the post-fight interview inside the ring. “She’s as tough as they come. We knew that. Who gets kicked in the face and still wants to fight.

“So, I love Heather.”

Saturday’s fight, which often saw one-sided rounds with Serrano landing 46.9% of her power punches, felt different from a typical title fight. In the lead-up to the fight, Serrano and Hardy discussed how they care for one another and how they often helped each other out throughout their careers.

Even on fight night, the two hugged before the start of the bout. Hardy apologized midfight after her mouthpiece fell out, briefly pausing the action. The bout didn’t have a feeling of disdain or hatred, but of a fight between two Brooklyn natives who had been boxing pioneers, who carried the sport before it took off in the past five years, facing off against each other one last time.

To wit: When Serrano, ESPN‘s No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter, was asked about her performance, she shrugged the question off.

“I’m more happy that I gave Heather an opportunity to make six figures,” Serrano said. “That was my goal tonight, to show that she’s skilled, she’s as tough as they come. Women can fight.”

Serrano, who had Saweetie as part of her walkout as she wore an homage to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders heading to the ring, landed more than 25 punches in half of the rounds. Hardy landed more than 20 in only the seventh round, when she connected with 36.5% of her punches — her best percentage of the fight. Serrano landed 68.8% of her power punches in the first round and over 50% of her power punches in four rounds. Hardy landed more than 40% of her power punches in only the seventh.

There were multiple times when it seemed as if Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KO) was about to stop Hardy — she was staggered in multiple rounds, was bleeding before the start of the second round and the referee asked her if she wanted to continue going into the ninth round.

Hardy (24-3, 4 KO, 1 NC), who walked out to Alicia Keys‘ “Girl on Fire,” had no doubt — of course she wanted to continue.

“To have her grab my hand and say, ‘Come on, Heat, let me help you because I know what you went through,’ it just means everything,” Hardy said. “I gave everything I had today.

“I gave everything for three months. I have no excuses. That was everything.”

Boxing Champion Amanda Serrano Signs Deal with Professional Fighters League to Return to Secondary Sport

Amanda Serrano is mixing things up…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, the undisputed featherweight boxing champion, is returning to her secondary sport — mixed martial arts.

Amanda SerranoSerrano has signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League‘s (PFL) Super Fight division, marking the seven-division boxing champion’s return to MMA.

While her first MMA fight with PFL has yet to be announced, she is boxing Saturday night to defend her undisputed featherweight title against Heather Hardy on the undercard of the Jake PaulNate Diaz fight.

Serrano, a future Hall of Famer, is 44-2-1 in boxing with 30 knockouts. She’s the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, according to ESPN, behind Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor.

Serrano said in February she wanted to fight in MMA again before she retires and this would be the next step in making that happen. She is 2-0-1 in MMA, last fighting June 11, 2021, when she beat Valentina Garcia in an iKON Fighting Federation match.

Both of Serrano’s MMA wins were by submission and she has fought at two divisions in the sport, flyweight and strawweight. She is also 5-0 in no-gi submission grappling, her last fight a unanimous-decision win over Erin Finkeldey in New York City in 2019.

“I may be known for boxing, but I’ve always loved and trained in MMA and Jiu-Jitsu, knowing those skills would only add to my ability when going against any opponent,” Serrano said in a news release announcing her signing. “The [PFL’s] commitment to gender equality, providing equal opportunities and recognition of female fighters is also a driving force behind my decision.

“I can’t wait to step back into the cage and deliver thrilling performances and unforgettable moments for fans around the world.”

William Silva to Fight Teen Boxing Prospect Ashton Sylve in August

William Silva is taking on a rising boxing star…

The 36-year-old Brazilian boxer will fight Ashton Sylve, the teen boxing prospect under Jake Paul‘s promotional banner, this summer.

William Silva,Sylve, the undefeated, 19-year-old rising star, will face William Silva, a 34-fight veteran, on August 5 in Dallas on the undercard of the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz event.

The fight is contracted for eight rounds at 135 pounds. Silva has just four career losses, two of them against top fighters Teofimo Lopez and Arnold Barboza Jr.

Sylve (9-0, 8 KOs), who is promoted by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, is coming off a unanimous decision win over Adam Kipenga on Paul’s first Most Valuable Prospects card May 26. Sylve, a Long Beach, California native, was ESPN Ringside‘s 2022 Prospect of the Year and has an illustrious amateur record.

Silva (30-4, 18 KOs) has won two straight via finish after falling to Cletus Seldin in October 2021. He lives and trains in Florida and has won five of his past seven fights. Silva is promoted by Reyes Boxing and Fire Fist Promotions.

“Ashton continues to impress and entertain at such a young age and will bring his unique combination of knockout power and agility to the ring on Aug. 5,” Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in a statement. “This fight represents his toughest test to date against a battle-tested and dangerous Silva, who has only lost to some of the best fighters in the game.”

The Paul vs. Diaz semi-main event pits women’s boxing undisputed featherweight champion Amanda Serrano against Heather Hardy. Also on the undercard, longtime Diaz teammate and MMA veteran Chris Avila will face Jeremy Stephens, a longtime UFC knockout artist.

Amanda Serrano to Fight Heather Hardy in Highly Anticipated Rematch

Amanda Serrano will be facing an old rival…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler will put her undisputed featherweight title on the line against Heather Hardy in the co-main event of the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz card on August 5 in Dallas, according to ESPN.

Amanda Serrano

Serrano beat Hardy, her fellow Brooklyn resident, in a grueling unanimous decision victory in 2019 to win the WBO women’s featherweight belt.

With a win in August, Serrano will seek a rematch with Katie Taylor in Taylor’s home country of Ireland. The two fought last year in what was the first-ever women’s headliner at Madison Square Garden and one of the biggest women’s boxing matches ever. Serrano is promoted by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.

“Amanda is one of the most decorated and elite athletes ever and is on path to become the winningest female boxer of all time,” Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in a statement. “After some much-needed recovery time, Amanda is excited to return to the ring and remind fans why she is the most devastating puncher in women’s boxing. If Amanda prevails in the fight, the plan is to immediately pursue the rematch with Katie Taylor in Ireland.”

Serrano (44-2-1) has won two straight since falling to Taylor in a close split decision in April 2022. She is the first Puerto Rican-born undisputed world champion in boxing history. Serrano has 30 knockout victories in her career and has lost just once — the Taylor fight — in 11 years. She has won titles in seven different weight divisions.

“I am the undisputed featherweight champion today because Heather Hardy agreed to fight me in 2019 for her WBO title,” Serrano said. “That was the first step in my current run at featherweight. It’s only right that I give her the opportunity to earn it back. I’m excited to once again share the card with Jake and put on an exciting war.”

Hardy (24-2, 1 NC) has won two straight, most recently a majority decision win over Taynna Cardoso in February. “The Heat,” who is promoted by Lou DiBella, had her undefeated record spoiled by Serrano in 2019. Hardy, 41, has also competed in MMA under the Bellator banner. She was the WBO women’s featherweight champion in 2018 and 2019.

“I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity,” Hardy said. “In 2021, I came back to boxing with a renewed passion for the sport. My late trainer told me, the day before he died, that 2023 would be my year. Now, I have the opportunity to prove him right and become an undisputed champion. Thank you to Amanda and team for keeping their word on giving me the rematch, but come fight night, I only have winning on my mind and stealing the show from Jake Paul and Nate Diaz.”