Amanda Serrano will defend her unified WBA and WBO featherweight titles against unbeaten Reina Tellez this week on January 3 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after her planned rematch with Erika Cruz was called off followed what Most Valuable Promotions described as an “atypical finding” in Cruz’s VADA testing conducted prior to the event.
Serrano was originally set to face Cruz in a second bout but will now headline the card at Coliseo Roberto Clemente against a new opponent. The 37-year-old Puerto Rican champion is looking to rebound from consecutive losses to Katie Taylor while defending her titles in front of a home crowd. Serrano said the change was disappointing but emphasized that respect for the sport remains her priority.
Tellez steps into the biggest fight of her career on short notice. The 22-year-old Team USA veteran from Vero Beach, Florida, previously held the WBC Youth featherweight title and now gets her first opportunity to fight for major world belts. Tellez called the matchup a lifelong dream and said she intends to seize the moment rather than simply share the stage.
The January 3 event also features a notable co-main event, with WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han defending her title against former boxing and UFC champion Holly Holm. On the undercard, former bantamweight champion Ebanie Bridges also appears on the lineup, returning to the ring against Alexis Mones.
Read more here and watch this event live on DAZN.
Image Credit: MVP