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Add FightsATW on GoogleWhat is at stake for Amanda Serrano on Friday night at the Pechanga Resort in Temecula, California?
Serrano (49-4-1, 32 KOs) will defend her women’s featherweight title against Lucrecia Manzur (14-4, 7 KOs), who will make her U.S. debut. The bout is all about Serrano. We can kid ourselves, but we are old and tired.
Let’s explain what is at play here.
Is This The Last Dance?
It seems all but a formality that Serrano will break Christy Martin’s women’s knockout record either on Friday or in a subsequent fight. She is capping a Hall of Fame career with one last achievement, as her fights with Katie Taylor changed the perception of women’s boxing, especially from a commercial standpoint.
Taylor is having her farewell fight in a few weeks, and the question is: if Serrano gets the knockout and the record, does her career conclude at the Pechanga Resort, or does she have a homecoming in New York or Puerto Rico? More than the result itself, the story seems to be about Serrano and what could come next.
Who Is Lucrecia Manzur?
That is the question. She has never fought in the U.S. She has been stopped twice, both times when she faced the best fighter of her career. Manzur is the X-factor. As a bitter boxing fan, you all assume she is coming in as a lamb to the slaughter for Serrano to make a statement. That said, Serrano is 37, and the flipside is that Manzur is getting the chance of a lifetime.
Even if she doesn’t win, Manzur is going rounds that will land her more fights, especially against young fighters looking to do better than Serrano, if that were the case. So, Manzur is truly the great unknown heading into this one.
TikTok
The bout will stream on TikTok, the social media platform I never signed up for. What does that mean? I don’t know. Really, I don’t.
On one hand, I love it. Making boxing more accessible and growing the sport is great. On the other hand, the selfish side. If I don’t attend the fight, which I am figuring out if I can make it work as I type this, how do I watch it? Will it air on platforms like YouTube, or do I have to learn some form of tech for this? It might not seem like much, but once you hit a certain age, you have a fear. That fear is being aged out. This is one of the first times I have felt this.
What Does The Eye Test Say?
Serrano will stop Manzur and decide after the fight where her career goes from there.
What Do The Odds Say?
Serrano is a hefty favorite.
A Good Undercard
The unsung story of the event is the depth of the card.
2024 U.S. Olympian Jahmal Harvey is in action. A 105 women’s bout between Lupita Medina and Brook Sibrian is notable, a nod to when they both fought on 360 Promotions fight cards. “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco will be on the undercard; she could be a star. Women’s junior featherweight Mayelli Flores Rosquero is the best fighter you probably don’t follow, especially in terms of action fights, and Avious Griffin versus Jackson Marinez is a sneaky great bout. While the big fight might have a send-off feel, the card will probably age like fine wine, with a few future champions featured.
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