The match between Amanda Serrano and Erika Cruz highlights a big night in women’s boxing Saturday night in New York City on DAZN.
AMANDA SERRANO (43-2-1, 30 KOS) VS. ERIKA CRUZ (15-1, 3 KOS)
- Day: Saturday, February 4
- Time: 8pm ET / 5pm PT (main event after that)
- Where: Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York
- television/stream: DAZN
- Assignment: Featherweight (126 pounds)
- threatened: Serrano’s IBF, WBC, WBO and Cruz’s WBA titles
- the odds: Serrano 5-1 favorite (multi-store average)
- Also on the card: Amanda Serrano vs Erika Cruz, featherweight (for Serrano’s IBF, WBC, WBO and WBA belts); Alycia Baumgardner vs. Elhem Mekhaled, junior lightweight (for Baumgardner’s undisputed championship); Richardson Hitchins vs. John Bauza, junior weight class; Reshat Mati vs. Keith Hunter, junior weight class; Skye Nicolson vs. Tania Alvarez, featherweight; Ramla Ali vs Avril Mathie, base featherweight
- Guess: University of Serrano
- Story: The card has two female matches in which the undisputed championships will take place. Serrano, one of the best female weightlifters, is the star of the show. The 34-year-old Brooklyn product has won major titles in seven weight classes and continues to perform at the elite level despite her ups and downs in the weight classes. She lost the decision to split to undisputed 135-pound champion Katie Taylor last April but has since bounced back pointed out Sarah Mahfoud to defend her 126-pound title in September, her most recent bout. Cruz, 32 years old from Mexico, is not an easy person. She beat Jelena Mrdjenovich by a technical decision (after the decision was subsequently cut) in 2021 and then eliminated her in two rematches at the end of September, proving that she is the one of the best in the business. Baumgardner (13-1, 7 KOs) is about to have a decisive victory, the end decision on Mikaela Mayer to win the 130-pound IBF, WBC and WBO titles last October. Elhem Mekhaled (15-1, 3 KOs) was about to lose to Delfine Persoon last May, which makes it hard to understand why she got this chance.
