WBC and WBO featherweight champion Amanda ‘The Real Deal’ Serrano 40-1-1 (30) wants all that smoke after defeating Daniela ‘La Bonita’ Bermudez 29-4-3 (10) by ninth-round knockout at Plaza del Quinto Centenario in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thursday night.
The 32-year-old Puerto Rican southpaw was in full control against Argentina’s Bermudez, leading the fight by scores of 80-72 across the board when she stopped the 31-year-old with a body shot at 1:33 of the penultimate round.
“I want to become undisputed featherweight champion,” Serrano said after the fight. “I want to be the first champion to become undisputed to come from Puerto Rico.
“Nothing against any champ; I want those belts. If they want these belts they have to come through me.”
Serrano has now won 26 bouts in a row dating back to her WBC super featherweight title challenge to then-undefeated Frida Wallberg in 2012.
The only trouble Serrano had was after round seven when she returned to her stool to learn that head coach Jordan Maldonado had been ejected from the corner for his open criticism of referee Roberto Ramirez Jr.
“I didn’t let it bother me,” Serrano said. “I have a great team. I have Gary Stark Sr who works with Jordan. I have the best team. I still heard (Jordan), it didn’t matter.”
Indeed it didn’t. Serrano maintained control of centre ring and continued to break Bermudez down until she saw an opportunity to dig to the body.
“When I saw the body shot – my coach Gary told me, two hooks to the body and that’s what happened,” Serrano said.
“We knew she was tough. She’s Latina, she’s from Argentina. We know that Argentine fighters are tough and she was ready. I beat her to the body. Maybe I have to change my name to ‘Body Snatcher’.”
On the undercard 25-year-old identical twins Eduardo and Leonardo Baez did not have identical results in their scheduled eight-round super bantamweight contests.
Puerto Rican prospect Carlos ‘Purin’ Caraballo 14-0 (14) proved his punching power is for real with a four-round beatdown of Leonardo ‘Leon’ Baez 18-4 (9). The 25-year-old had Baez on the canvas in the second round and continued to pound the Mexican until the towel came in from the corner at the 2:36 mark.
Eduardo ‘El Explosivo’ Baez 19-1-2 (6) had far more success, outpointing previously undefeated Puerto Rican Abimael ‘Manos de Piedra’ Ortiz 8-1-1 (4) in a fun and fast-paced fight by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73.
Earlier in the week former super flyweight world champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez 50-3 (41) praised the Baez twins, who helped him prepare for his split decision loss to reigning WBC and WBA champion Juan Francisco ‘El Gallo’ Estrada 40-3 (28) two weeks ago.
“They are very strong, and they know how to combine their punches very well,” Gonzalez said. “On top of that, they have a great work ethic. They always push forward in the ring and have great conditioning, so that is a great factor.”
