Last night in Dallas, Texas, female Brooklyn warriors Amanda Serrano (who was born in Puerto Rico) and Heather Hardy fought a tough ten rounds that saw Serrano win via wide UD, retaining her four featherweight belts. Tough? It was tough mostly for 41-year-old underdog Hardy, but, boy, did “The Heat” show how amazingly tough she really is!
Southpaw Serrano, who won every round aside from one, this on one judge’s card, this being the 7th, walked away with a win via lopsided scores of 100-90, 100-90, and 99-91. But in victory, Serrano was full of praise for her good friend. “I’m more than happy that I gave Heather an opportunity to make six figures (payday),” Serrano said. “That was my goal tonight, to show that she’s skilled, she’s as tough as they come. Women can fight.”
They can indeed, and though last night’s battle was one-sided, it was moving to sit and watch the sheer grit and determination, to say nothing of the utter refusal to quit, shown by Hardy. Serrano had her challenger wobbled more than once, and Hardy was bleeding from the second round. Asked before the ninth round if she wanted to continue, Hardy responded with a firm, ‘yeah!’
“I gave everything I had today,” the defeated Hardy said. “I gave everything for three months (in training camp). I have no excuses.”
Nor did Hardy, now 24-3(4) try and make any. Hardy, who may now decide to walk away (she has earned it, no doubt about it) has given a whole lot to women’s boxing throughout her consistently exciting career and she always looked to fight the best. Also, Hardy has never once been stopped in a fight. The same of course can be said of Serrano, who is now 45-2-1(30). That epic with Katie Taylor was, well, epic, and we want to see a second act between the two ladies. This could happen, but it will largely depend on what happens when Taylor fights her rematch with Chantelle Cameron in November.
Last night’s fight was all about good, honest sportswomanship. There was no silly, needless trash-talk, there was no disrespect. Only hard, tough fighting. Serrano, still only 34 years of age, threw a quite amazing 739 punches last night (to Hardy’s not too shabby 557) and she is, like her good friend, always in the gym, living the life. Serrano has a heck of a lot left to give and fans know they will get a great show whenever she does get in the ring.
Credit goes out to both Serrano and Hardy for what they gave us, and for what they gave each other, last night.