By Ian S Palmer
Undisputed Featherweight Champion Amanda Serrano of Puerto Rico puts her WBA/IBF/WBO/WBC/IBO Women’s Featherweight Titles on the line this Saturday, August 5th against Heather Hardy of Brooklyn, New York. The 10-rounder from Dallas, Texas can be seen live in most nations on DAZN or DAZN pay-per-view on the undercard of the Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz bout. Serrano last fought in February when she beat Erika Cruz Hernandez by unanimous decision for the WBA Belt while Hardy also boxed in February when she beat Taynna Cardoso via a 10-round majority decision. This fight is a rematch as Serrano beat Hardy by a wide unanimous decision in September, 2019 to win the WBO and WBC Interim Featherweight Titles.
Amanda Serrano is a 34-year-old southpaw who owns an impressive record of 44-2-1 with 30 Ko’s. She has 212 rounds of experience under her belt since turning pro in 2009 and now resides in Brooklyn, New York. She also has experience in wrestling and mixed martial arts. Serrano stands just over 5-feet-5-inches tall with a 65.5-inch reach and has very good power in her fists with a current knockout ratio of 63.8 per cent but has gone the distance in her last five fights and seven of the last 11.
Serrano is a former Staten Island, New York City Golden Gloves, and Empire State Amateur Champion and has won numerous regional and minor pro titles. Since turning pro, she’s also captured the IBF World Female Super Featherweight, WBO World Female Lightweight, WBO World Female Featherweight, WBO World Female Super Bantamweight, WBO World Female Bantamweight, WBO World Female Super Lightweight, and WBO World Female Super Flyweight Titles.
Her first defeat came at the hands of Frida Walberg in April, 2012 when she lost by a 10-round unanimous decision in a shot at the WBC World Female Super Featherweight Title. She appeared to do enough to beat Katie Taylor in April, 2022, which was a fight-of-the-year candidate, but came out on the wrong end of a split decision, while her draw came in 2009 in a four-round affair with Ela Nunez. Serrano has weighed in between 118 and 138.5 lbs during her pro career and has actually won titles in seven different weight classes.
She also has wins over Kimberly Connor, Fatuma Zarika (twice), Calista Silgado, Yazmin Rivas, Dahianna Santana (twice), Marilyn Hernandez, Eva Voraberger, Heather Hardy, Daniela Bermudez and Yamileth Mercardo. Serrano is unbeaten in the last 10 years, which covers a span of 30 fights. All of her victories have come by way of stoppage or unanimous decision except for her pro debut which was a four-round majority decision over Jackie Trivilino.
The 41-year-old Hardy enters the ring with a record of 24-2 with 4 Ko’s and has fought 182 rounds since making her pro debut in 2012. As an amateur, won the 2011 USA Women’s National Championships and reached the quarterfinals in the 2012 tournament. She also reached the semifinals of the 2011 USA Women’s National Golden Gloves. Hardy measures 5-feet-5-inches tall with a 64-inch reach which puts her just half-an-inch shorter than Serrano with a 1.5-inch reach disadvantage.
As far as power goes, Hardy has very little of it as her current knockout ratio clocks in at just 14.8 per-cent. She’s gone the distance in her last 10 outings with her last victory by stoppage coming in 2016 when she halted Anna Donatella Hultin in the fourth round. Her first pro loss came at the hands of Serrano in September, 2019 and she dropped an eight-round unanimous decision to Jessica Camara in her next outing in May, 2021 despite dropping Camara in the first round.
In 2014, Hardy captured the vacant WBC International Super Bantamweight Title when she beat Crystal Hoy by majority decision. She then won the vacant WBC International Featherweight Title in 2016 via a majority decision over Shelly Vincent and beat Vincent again in 2018, this time by unanimous decision to take the vacant WBO Featherweight Title, which she lost to Serrano in her first defence. Hardy has also participated in mixed martial arts and kickboxing and trains fighters. Prediction…
Serrano is simply one of the top female boxers in the world with an extremely fan-friendly style. She’s an exciting, aggressive boxer with enough power to do some damage and lets her hands go as often as possible. Hardy is a fine fighter herself, but is now 41 years old. Serrano had no problem beating Hardy four years ago and if she punches in volume as she usually does, she shouldn’t have any problem repeating the feat this weekend. Serrano’s a heavy favourite and a stoppage is possible due to her power and volume punching.
