By: Sean Crose
“Undisputed means loads,” says Amanda Serrano on the eve of her undisputed world featherweight title battle in opposition to Erika Cruz. “It means you’re the finest; you could have everybody trying to beat you, you might be high canine, unquestionably primary within the division. Turning into the primary undisputed champion at featherweight could be so cool after being a professional for 14 years.” The 43-2-1 Serrano has received world titles in seven weight lessons – a world report to make sure. Turning into undisputed at featherweight this weekend would make the New York primarily based Puerto Rican fighter much more of an icon in girls’s boxing.
“Puerto Rico is so small however there’s a lot expertise there,” he says, “however there’s no undisputed champion – now we have each different kind of champion, however not undisputed. I need to give that again to them, for some bragging rights for Puerto Rico. Seven-weight is particular as a result of I’m the one feminine to do it, that’s superb, however undisputed is the icing on the cake and it’ll be me giving Puerto Rico every little thing I can.”
In the end, Serrano desires to be an inspiration, and never solely to those that hail from Puerto Rico. “I like Puerto Rico and I need to inspire each Puerto Rico child, but additionally each Latina woman,” she says. “There’s no dream too massive, simply work arduous, and encompass your self with the appropriate folks. When a bit woman comes as much as me and says ‘I began combating due to you’ I’m that little woman in search of my inspiration, so I really feel I’ve performed a great job.”
With that being mentioned, Serrano is effectively conscious that the 15-1 Cruz means enterprise and would love nothing greater than to develop into an undisputed titlist herself. “Erika has much less fights than me,” Serrano says, “however toughness comes from inside, and she or he desires to tear my head off and take my belts! How I win will depend on her – if she involves win, it’ll be a simple night time, if she desires to field and transfer, you’ll be able to’t beat me, it doesn’t occur. We are going to give the followers a tremendous battle for certain.”
The Serrano-Cruz battle goes down this Saturday night time on the Hulu Theater in Madison Sq. Backyard, a spot that’s near Serrano’s coronary heart.
“Preventing on the Hulu Theater is so particular to me,” she says. “Madison Sq. Backyard was superb and the primary time I’ve boxed there. One in every of my favorites, Miguel Cotto, used to battle there on a regular basis, however I’ve a particular factor at Hulu.”