Amanda Serrano wants to leave women’s boxing better for the fighters of the future

Amanda Serrano has made history in what is really still the early days for women’s boxing, winning nine world titles across seven weight classes at age 31, going 38-1-1 (28 KO) in her career, which started in 2009.

Serrano, a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn, takes great pride in her achievements not just as a boxer, but for Puerto Rican boxing. She spoke to Jessie Vargas on Peleamundo about her success, and about what’s coming for her, including the fight with Katie Taylor.

“Miguel Cotto is my idol. He always has been,” Serrano said. “And I knew that he’d won (world titles) in four divisions. I wanted to do the same, but I was still young and said, ‘I want to do even more.’ And now I’ve won seven.”

The fight with Irish hero Taylor (15-0, 6 KO) was originally set for May 2, but of course has been pushed back like everything else. Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn still has his sights set on doing the fight, without question, but it will require travel restrictions being lifted or at least eased, for starters, so that Serrano can get to the United Kingdom. The fight is still meant to be presented alongside a Dillian Whyte vs Alexander Povetkin main event.

“I’m really excited for this fight. I’m glad it’s actually happening. I don’t know when it’s actually going to be, because of all this that’s happening,” Serrano said. “But I just can’t wait to go and share that ring with such a great champion, she’s undisputed champion, she’s undefeated.

“I want to put on a hell of a show. We’re both considered the best. I know she’s training hard, and I’m training hard, too. I have a private gym for us, and I’ve been training hard, because I know that a fight against Katie Taylor is the big fight. I’m ready and she’s gonna be ready, too.”

The 33-year-old Taylor (15-0, 6 KO) has won world titles at lightweight and junior welterweight, and went undisputed at lightweight last June, though with some controversy in a debated win over Delfine Persoon in an exciting bout in New York.

Taylor has said recently that her goal is to face Serrano, undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus (which would be a catchweight between 140 and 147), and Persoon in a rematch in her next three bouts.

Serrano isn’t looking that far ahead, saying she wants to become the first Boricua to be crowned undisputed champion, and also says she’s not thinking a lot about any “revenge” storyline relating to Taylor beating her sister Cindy Serrano back in 2018.

“This is more about me, not about my sister,” Amanda told Vargas. “It’s not like the loss will be taken off her record if I beat Katie Taylor. This is a totally different thing. I want to fight Katie Taylor because that’s the fight to make.”

Serrano is also hoping the fight will continue to elevate the status of women’s boxing, which is slowly but surely gaining some more acceptance among boxing fans, who historically have not been easy to sell on that side of the sport.

“When we both get in the ring, we’re gonna show that girls can fight, girls can put on a show, girls can sell tickets, and girls can bring viewers in,” Serrano said. “I think it will open a lot more doors for female boxing, and just show how great our talent has gotten throughout the years. I’m super excited to be part of a fight like that, and I just can’t wait.”

She added that there is still a major difference in pay compared to men’s boxing, and conceded that she may not see that change in her own career, but that she hopes to at least leave the sport better for the younger women coming up in the sport.

Photo by Edward Diller/Getty Images

“The female boxers of today want to be able to fight for more, for the girls in the future. I always say, if it’s not for me, I just want to continue to open the doors and help the girls coming into the pros,” Serrano said. “I’m almost done, I’ve been doing it for 12 years, this is the big fight with Katie Taylor. After that, there’s not a lot more fights people would like to see me in. So I’ll do it for the young girls coming up.”

Serrano also sees the fight with Taylor as a tough test not just because Taylor is a great fighter, but because she’ll have relative home field advantage fighting closer to home in the UK.

“I need to have a strong mentality because the fight is in (the United Kingdom). So it’s not just fighting one person, it’s four people. It’s the three judges and Katie Taylor,” Serrano said.

“I need to have a strong mind to go in there, and I’m not gonna tell all my secrets, but I can box, I can brawl, I’m not one-dimensional. I can fight. I have a lot of heart, and I’m able to adjust. Whatever she brings, I’ll be able to bring it harder. We’ll see. Katie Taylor is a great fighter, she has it all, too. She has a lot of experience, a lot more experience than me in the ring. But whoever wants it more is definitely gonna win that fight, and I want it.”