NEW YORK–In a war, Amanda Serrano became the undisputed featherweight champion with a 10-round unanimous decision in front of a capacity crowd at The Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden

The two fighters stood toe to toe with Cruz having early success as she dug her feet in and came forward throwing and landing punches in bunches from all angles. That seemed to befuddle Serrano, who was getting hit cleanly by oncoming shots from Cruz. In round three, Cruz was cut on her forehead from an accidental headbutt. That coincided with Serrano’s foray back inro the fight as she seemed to have a better grasp on how to handle the unorthodox style of Cruz.

In round six, Serrano her Cruz badly with an left and right hook on the inside. There were instances that looked like Cruz was done, but she kept coming forward throwing punches in bunches. Serrano was able to stem the tide and fough through a cut around her right eye in a furious 10th and final round.

The two fighters threw a staggering amount of punches for the 20 minute war as Serrano was 257 of 949. Cruz 202 of 968.

Serrano, 125.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 and is now 44-2-1. Cruz, 125.4 lbs of Mexico City fought valiantly in defeat and is now 15-2.

With the win, it paves the way for a much anticipated rematch between Serrano and Katie Taylor that was announced for May 20th.

Amanda Serrano

• I’m just so emotional underneath. I finally did it for my island. 
• She’s a Mexican champion and we knew that from the start. I knew it was going to be a bout and this what what I’ve trained for. We didn’t expect anything less than that. 
• I’m glad it went past the fourth!
• Jordan kept screaming 1-2-1-2’s from the corner – go back to the basics. My left hand was catching her pretty clear with the jabs. So I just listen to my corner. 
• I have successfully completed all of my dreams, becoming the undisputed champion. So now I am one of THE undisputed champions but I am still the ONLY 7 weigh class world champions in the world. 
• It’s going to be a bigger and better fight over there (Ireland)

Katie Taylor

• I was cheering her on. I wanted this fight. Undisputed vs. undisputed champion. The last fight was an epic fight and I think the next one is going to be exactly the same. 
• It’s going to be great in Ireland fighting the real deal, Amanda Serrano. This is incredible and the last fight was epic so I expect nothing less from the next one. 
• This is the biggest fight in women’s boxing and I only want to do the biggest fights. This is exactly what I want.

Baumgardner Decisions Mekhaled to Win Undisputed Junior Lightweight Champion

Alycia Baumgardner became to Undisputed Junior Lightweight champion with an emphatic 10-round unanimous decision over Elhem Mekhaled.

In round three, Baumgardner landed a big chopping right that put Mekhaled on the canvas. With Mekhaled hurt, Baumgardner jumped on Mekhaled and sent her to the canvas for a second time in the round from a huge flurry of punches.

Mekhaled was hurt several times down the stretch, but she showed tremendous resolve as she was able to land some flush punches. In the 10th round, both boxers had moments and also there were several furious exchanges.

Baumgardner landed 141 of 542 punches; Mekhaled was 96 of 404.

Baumgardner, 129 lbs of Detroit won by scores of 99-89 twice and 98-90 and is now 14-1. Mekhaled, 129 lbs of Paris, FRA is 15-2.

Hitchins Decisions Bauza

Richardson Hitchins settled his grudge with John Bauza y winning a lopsided 10-round unanimous decision on their junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Hitchins landed a inside left that had Bauza hit the canvas, which was ruled a knockdown. In round four, Hitchins landed a hard straight right that put Bauza down for a clean knockdown. In round five, the right eye of Bauza began to swell up.

With his face a mess and getting beat up, Bauza landed a hard left that briefly stopped Hitchins in his tracks, but Hitchins rebounded to landed three flush shots to face of Bauza.

Hitchins, 139.6 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 100-88 on all cards and is now 16-0. Bauza, 139 lbs of North Bergen, NJ is 17-1.

Yankiel Rivera Decisions Fernando Diaz

Yankiel Rivera remained undefeated by pounding out an eight-round unanimous decision over Fernando Diaz in a flyweight fight.

Rivera, 112.4 lbs of Bayamon, PR won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 3-0. Diaz, 111.8 lbs of Riverside, CA is 11-3-1.

Skye Nicolson remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Tania Alvarez in a featherweight fight.

Nicolson, 126.6 lbs of Queensland, AUS won by scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 6-0. Alvarez, 124.8 lbs of Barcelona, SPA is 7-1.

In a battle of previously undefeated super bantamweights, Ramla Ali took a 10-round unanimous decision from Avril Mathie.

Ali, 121.4 lbs of London won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 8-0. Mathie, 121.4 lbs of Sydney, AUS is 8-1-1.

Shadasia Green was impressive in stopping former world champion Elin Cederroos in round six of their scheduled 10[round super middleweight bout.

In round three, Green dropped Cederroos with a perfect overhand right to the jaw.

In round six, Green landed three more booming right hands to the head that had Cederroos wobbling across the ring. Green landed three more flush shots in the corner and the bout was stopped at 1:08.

Green, 167.2 lbs of Paterson, NJ is now 12-0 with 11 knockoouts. Cederroos,167.4 lbs of Sweden is 8-2.

In a bloody battle, Harley Maderos stopped Julio Madera in the sixth and final round of their lightweight bout.

Maderos battered Madera until his face got more swollen with each round. Maderos showed a bloody mouth in round five. In round six, Maderos landed a hard combination that forced referee Eric Dali to the contest at 25 seconds.

Maderos, 134.2 lbs of Brooklyn is now 5-0 with four knockouts. Madera,133.5 lbs of Mexico City is 4-3.

Aaron Aponte remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Joshua David Rivera in a junior welterweight clash.

Aponte, 136.8 lbs of Hialeah Gardens, FL won by scores on all cards and is now 7-0-1. Rivera, 138.8 lbs of La Mesa, CA is 8-2.

Roman Gonzalez pounded his way to a 12-round unanimous decision over flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez in a super flyweight bout at The Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Gonzalez dominated the fight as continuously backed up Martinez with straight forward power punching, Martinez was game throughout as he would sneak u a flurry, but it was Gonzalez who was so accurate with his combinations that defied his age of 34, which is considered old for the lighter weight classes. After round seven, the winner was inevitable as Gonzalez snapped the head and drove Martinez into the ropes almost constantly. Martinez fought until the end, but it was much too little, much too late as Gonzalez won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112.

Gonzalez landed 374 of 1076 punches; Martinez was 182 of 713.

Gonzalez, 114.8 lbs of Managua, NIC is now 51-3. Martinez, who came in over the contracted weight, checked in at 116.4 lbs is now 18-2.

Lara stops Sanchez in Three Exciting Rounds

In a wild slugfest. Mauricio Lara stopped Emilio Sanchez in round three of their 10-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Lara dropped Sanchez with a hard right. In round three, Sanchez came roaring back as he landed barrages of power punches that tired Lara out. Lara came roaring back by landing vicious shots that continuously snapped the head of Sanchez back. Lara landed two more booming shots that knocked Sanchez to the ground just before the bell, and the fight was over at 2:59.

Lara, 126 lbs of Mexico City is now 24-2-1 with 17 knockouts. Sanchez, 126 lbs of Pacoima, CA is 19-2.

Fierro and Burgos Battle to a Draw

Angel Fierro and Juan Carlos Burgos battled to a 10-round draw in lightweight contest.

Fierro took a scorecard 96-94; while two other tallies were 95-95.

Fierro landed 144 of 579 punches. Burgos was 113 of 476.

Fierro, 134.6 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is now 19-1-2. Burgos, 134.2 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 34-6-3.

Cissokoho Decisions Valenzuela

Souleymayne Cissokho remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Roberto Valenzuela Jr. in a super welterweight bout.

In round two, Valenzuela began to swell under his left eye. In round three, Valenzuela was cut on the nose. In round four, Valenzuela turned the tide and landed a hard combination to the body and sent Cissokho to the canvas. In the final minute of the round, Cissokho uncorked a huge right that put Valenzuela on his back. Valenzuela got to his feet and was bleeding all over his face.

Cissokho landed 132 of 479 punches; Valenzuela was 92 of 474.

Cissokho, 153.8 lbs of Saint-Denis, FRA won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice to raise his record to 15-0. Valenzuela, 154 lbs of Sonora, MEX is 19-3,

Diego Pacheco remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Genc Pllana in a scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

In round one, Pacheco dropped Pllana with a right hand. In round two, a left hook/right hand combination put Pllana on the deck and the fight was stopped at 1:29.

Pacheco, 170 lbs of Los Angeles is 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Pllana, 171 lbs of Hagerstown, MD is 9-4-1.

Marc Castro hit the canvas, but remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Julio Madera in a lightweight fight.

In round two Castro hit the deck from a combination. Castro won the rest of the fight and won by scores of 58-55 on all cards.

Castro, 134.8 lbs of Fresno, CA is 6-0. Madera, 134.4 lbs of Mexico City is 3-2.

2021 Australian Olympian Skye Nicholson made a successful pro debut with a six-round unanimous decision over Jessica Juarez in a junior lightweight bout.

Nicholson, 129 lbs of Queensland, AUS won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 1-0. Juarez, 129 lbs of San Diego is 3-1.

Anthony Herrera stopped Jose Toribio in round four of a scheduled four-round bantamweight bout.

In round one, Toribio began to bleed over his right. In round four, Castro landed a hard combination that was culminated by a left hook that dropped Toribio and the fight was stopped at the 24 second mark.

Herrera, 118.4 lbs of Los Angeles is 2-0 with two knockouts. Toribio, 118.2 lbs of San Diego, CA is 7-5.