Amanda Serrano faces Reina Tellez on January 3 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Tellez replaces Erika Cruz, who was originally scheduled to challenge Serrano in their rematch. Their second fight was called off after an “atypical finding” in Cruz’s VADA testing.
The rematch between Serrano and Cruz was canceled “following an atypical finding in Erika Cruz’s Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) testing conducted prior to the event,” Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced on Friday.
Puerto Rico’s 37-year-old Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) puts her unified WBA and WBO featherweight titles on the line and looks to bounce back from a pair of defeats to Katie Taylor.
“I’m disappointed the original fight couldn’t move forward, but my priority has always been respect for the sport,” Serrano said. “Reina Tellez is a tough opponent who’s earned this opportunity, and I am up for the challenge. Fighting at home in Puerto Rico, defending my world titles, and continuing to push women’s boxing forward under equal rules means everything to me. Saturday, January 3, is about showing the world once again what Puerto Rican fighters are made of.”
Team USA veteran Tellez (13-0-1, 5 KOs) of Vero Beach, Florida, makes her attempt to capture two of boxing’s major belts. Earlier in her career, the unbeaten 22-year-old held the WBC Youth featherweight title.
Tellez said: “This is the moment I’ve been fighting for my whole life. To step into the ring with a champion like Amanda Serrano, someone I’ve looked up to, is an honor, but I’m not here just to share the spotlight. I’m here to win. I represent San Antonio, I represent every fighter chasing a dream, and I’m coming with everything I’ve got. On fight night, the world’s going to see just how hungry I am to make history.”
In the co-main event, WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han (11-0, 3 KOs) of El Paso, Texas, defends her title against former boxing and UFC champion Holly Holm (34-2-3, 9 KOs) of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Also on the card, Australia’s former champion Ebanie Bridges (9-2, 4 KOs) returns to the ring against Alexis Mones (3-2-1, 1 KO) of Fort Worth, Texas, at bantamweight.