HIGHLIGHTS! Amanda Serrano goes 12 full rounds in clean sweep victory over Danila Ramos

Amanda Serrano and Danila Ramos made the most of the first modern women’s boxing match to go 12 three-minute rounds, delivering 36 busy minutes in Orlando, Florida.

Nobody got the vapors, neither needed a fainting couch, and it wound up a conventional women’s fight with more time and more punches.

Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KO) ran the fight from start to finish, seldom taking a backwards step while successfully defending all but one of her undisputed belts in front of a packed, fired-up crowd.

Only the WBC didn’t approve, standing alone against the other three major sanctioning bodies.

Ramos (12-3, 1 KO) fought courageously, moving constantly and planting whenever she could to try and score some power shots. But, she didn’t have the pop to discourage a relentless Serrano attack. Ramos started swelling on the left side of her face at the start of the 2nd round. And in the 4th, Serrano charged ahead intensely, snapping Ramos’s head back and worsening the damage around Ramos’s swollen eyes.

Nice action in the 5th, with Ramos planting and trying everything she could to get Serrano to back off. Credit to Ramos throughout the fight for rarely holding or smothering, even in her most survival-focused moments. Serrano hurt her high and low at various points in the second half, but Ramos kept moving and throwing. Her courage gave us a lot of exciting exchanges rather than the tedium of watching her trying to clutch her way through the distance instead.

I had it a clean sweep for Serrano, matching 120-108 scores from all three official judges. It was a much better show than the lopsided scores would suggest, and I enjoyed every extended minute because of the tenacity and toughness of Ramos. Legs didn’t get heavy, punches didn’t get soft, and the action never fell off. Serrano said afterwards that she hopes to fight the rest of her career in 12x3 events, and she didn’t seem at all troubled by the extra work tonight.

It’s fun to see history, but it’s even better when a milestone fight is actually entertaining. I’d rewatch this ten times before I’d suffer through a rerun of Tyson Fury becoming a champion against Wladimir Klitschko.

Damian Lescaille KO-9 Ray Barlow

Damian Lescaille delivered a dominant, punishing performance in the chief support, demonstrating power that Ray Barlow just couldn’t match. Barlow (7-4, 4 KO) took a knee in the 4th, and was hurt badly again later, taking quite a beating in the 5th round. But, he survived both, and his corner kept sending him out for more.

Lescaille (6-0, 4 KO) was teeing up without fear throughout the 6th round, and this one probably could have been stopped at least four rounds before it finally ended. Barlow did land one big shot late in the 7th and won some exchanges in the 8th, but got obliterated on a savage right hand late in the 9th.

Make sure you check out the finish… Most years, it would be a contender for Knockout of the Year.

Benigno Aguilar SD-6 Alexander Rios

Alexander Rios and Benigno Aguilar gave us a fun little defense-optional action fight. Rios (7-1, 3 KO) was the most defensively negligent, which would cost him dearly in the 5th round when Aguilar caught him with three big hooks that put Rios on the mat. But, Aguilar (11-0, 4 KO) couldn’t finish the job, and almost punched himself out trying. The knockdown would prove enough, swinging the fight from at least a draw to a split decision victory for Aguilar on official scores of 58-55 Aguilar, 57-56 Rios, and 57-56 Aguilar.

Here’s a look at the knockdown. And, just for funsies… The Rios ring entrance, featuring a Brazilian Carnival theme, a white tiger tail and baseball cap with glitter and wings, and a bunch of people in panda costumes.

Krystal Rosado UD-4 Kata Pap

Clean sweep victory for Krystal Rosado (2-0, 1 KO) who spent most of the fight bleeding ugly from the forehead thanks to some accidental head clashes. Kata Pap (1-1, 1 KO) gave a good effort, but she didn’t have the snap on her punches (or the customary footwear) to hurt or threaten Rosado.

Damazion Vanhouter UD-4 Nafys Anas

A little foolishness in the opener, as Nafys Anas (4-1, 3 KO) had his hair dyed Ronald McDonald red, but it hadn’t set completely. Within 90 seconds, it was staining his forehead and the arms and shoulders of Damazion Vanhouter (5-0, 3 KO). The mess was bad enough that the referee paused the action between the 2nd and 3rd to have the Anas corner wipe down dripping red dye.

As for the fight itself? Vanhouter got caught at least twice with big left hands, but wasn’t rattled, and otherwise mostly had his way of things. Official scores were 40-36, 39-37, and 39-37.