Amanda Serrano is back to defend her featherweight title and is looking to end her first career loss.
MVP Promotions announced Tuesday that Serrano (47-4-1) will defend her undisputed title at 126 pounds in a rematch against Erika Cruz (18-2-1) on January 3 at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This event will be broadcast live on DAZN.
According to a press release, Serrano and Cruz will compete in 10 three-minute rounds, as opposed to the two-minute rounds normally reserved for women.
This is a long-awaited homecoming for Serrano, who was scheduled to fight Nina Meinke in Puerto Rico in December 2023, but the fight was canceled on the day of the fight as Serrano had to withdraw due to an eye injury. According to MVP executive Nakisa Bidalian, the cause of the injury was a chemical that got into Serrano’s eyes during a hair appointment.
Serrano instead fought Stevie Morgan in a 138-pound bout the following July, which was a precursor to two more bouts with Serrano’s longtime rival, super lightweight champion Katie Taylor. The two boxers have clashed three times before, with Taylor winning close decisions in April 2022 and November 2024, and defeating Serrano by majority decision in a 10-round bout in July of this year, but things didn’t go as expected in their first two fights.
Despite the losing streak, Serrano remains a dominant force in the featherweight division, holding all four major titles. She has raised her hand in six consecutive fights as the defending champion, including her first matchup with Cruz in February 2023. At an event in New York City, Serrano defeated Cruz by unanimous decision, adding Cruz’s WBA belt to her collection and becoming the unified champion of the division.
Cruz is a former WBA featherweight and super bantamweight champion. In his most recent fight in May, Cruz defeated Maricruz Rodriguez Gonzalez by sixth-round TKO. Since losing to Serrano, she is 3-0-1.