Amanda Serrano (44-2-1, 30 KOs) put in a spirited effort to defeat Erika Cruz (15-2, 3 KOs) by a 10 round unanimous decision to capture the undisputed championship at featherweight on Saturday night in front of a large crowd at MSG in New York. The scores were 98-92, 98-92, and 97-93.
The 34-year-old Serrano came into the fight as the unified IBF, WBC & WBO female featherweight champion, and she overcame the power and high punch output of WBA champ Cruz to add the final piece that she needed to become the undisputed champion in the weight class.
Cruz, 32, and Serrano stood toe-to-toe, throwing bombs through most of the fight, particularly the tenth round. The only thing that slowed the action was the cut that Cruz suffered in the third round in her hairline from a clash of heads.
With the cut, it bled into Cruz’s eyes, causing her to frequently wipe away the blood so she could see. Having a cut in Cruz’s hairline was the worst area it could be because of the blood dripping in both eyes, not just one.
Even with the cut, Cruz often got the better of the older, weaker Serrano. Cruz was hurt by two short right hands from Serrano in the sixth but stayed on her feet and continued to nail the older fighter as she attempted to go for the knockout.
Cruz was bothered by the blood in the seventh and eighth, causing her punch output to drop off. However, in the ninth and tenth, Cruz finished strong, getting the better of Serrano with here hard shots.
Serrano got hit a lot more in this fight with harder shots than she did in her loss to Katie Taylor, and yet she won this time. It goes to show you how judges can score fights so differently.
A lot of boxing fans felt that Serrano was robbed against Taylor. Tonight, she got the benefit of the doubt in a fight that was a heck of a lot closer than the three wide scores turned in by the judges.
Alycia Baumgardner defeats Elhem Mekhaled
In the chief support bout on the card, WBC/IBF/WBO super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner (14-1, 7 KOs) captured the undisputed championship by defeating Elhem Mekhaled (15-2, 3 KOs) by a 10 pound unanimous decision.
The fight was less action-packed than the main event, but it was still interesting to watch until Baumgardner faded after the third round. In the third, she knocked Mekhaled down twice.
However, while attempting to go for the knockout, Baumgardner exhausted herself and couldn’t get her second wind.
The scores were 99-89, 99-89, and 98-90.
