Amanda Serrano, champion boxer, set for MMA debut with Combate Americas

Amanda Serrano is one of the most decorated women’s boxers ever. But, with titles in a record five weight divisions, the 29-year-old is embarking on a new journey into the world of mixed martial arts.

“It’s really intense,” Serrano told amNewYork last week ahead of her MMA debut. “I’m practically living in the gym right now. It’s something new. We have a lot of ground to fill.”

Serrano, the current WBO super bantamweight champion with a 34-1 record and 26 knockouts, is set to fight Corina Herrera (3-4) on Friday for Combate Americas on the company’s Combate Estrellas I event in Los Angeles. Serrano’s original opponent, Erendira Ordóñez, was replaced due to visa issues.

“I’ve been training for a while, and I’m not just gonna go into a new sport like a crazy person,” Serrano said. “I’m taking my time, and we’re working really hard, and I’m just gonna show that I can do MMA as well.”

Serrano, originally from Puerto Rico but now fighting out of Brooklyn, is following boxers such as Holly Holm and fellow Brooklynite Heather Hardy who have crossed over to MMA for more opportunities.

“When I filmed the movie ‘Fight Valley’ with Holly Holm, I remember her telling me that her biggest regret was her not going into MMA sooner,” Serrano said, “and that always stood in the back of my mind.”

While she is proud of everything she’s accomplished in the world of boxing, Serrano believes incentive-based MMA contracts are currently more beneficial to women in combat sports.

“You have a winner’s purse, you have a knockout purse, and you have endorsements and sponsors, something that I didn’t have in boxing because our fights weren’t televised,” she said. Univision will broadcast Friday’s fight card.

With her eyes still set on a championship in a record sixth boxing weight division, Serrano hopes to be a simultaneous champion in both sports, though she plans to eventually focus on MMA full time.

“All my fans, everybody’s really excited,” she said. “They see the damage I do with 8-ounce gloves, so they’re really excited about what I’m going to do with 4-ounce gloves.”

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