Seven-division titleholder Amanda Serrano dominated over 10 rounds tonight, taking the WBO featherweight title from fellow Brooklyn fighter Heather Hardy on scores of 98-91, 98-91, and 98-92.

Serrano (37-1-1, 27 KO) had Hardy (22-1, 4 KO) hurt pretty badly in the opening round, and if women fought three minute rounds instead of two, it’s doubtful that Hardy would have made it out of the opening frame, as she was reeling badly by the end of those two minutes.

Serrano put a further beating on Hardy in the second, battering her to the body, but Hardy is as tough as advertised, and she stayed in the fight, going the distance even without a whole lot of success. Serrano did slow down some from her blistering early pace, but Hardy was never any real threat to beat her, as she just didn’t have the skill or power. Style-wise, it wound up a terrible matchup for Hardy, who has been successful largely on grit and toughness over her career. A superior boxer with better power was a nightmare for her, which was no real surprise, but expecting it and seeing it are two different things.

“I think it was a great performance,” Serrano said after. “Heather is as tough as they come, she became a champion for a reason. She came to fight, but I just was the better girl tonight. There’s level to boxing and she’s just not on my level.”

There has been a lot of talk of Serrano, who has bounced around weight divisions through her career — her last three fights have been at 140, 115, and 126, for instance — going to 135 for a fight with undisputed titleholder Katie Taylor, the Irish star.

Serrano isn’t sure she’ll get the fight, but she wants it.

“I say let’s go, but Katie Taylor’s going up to 140 so let’s she what she wants to do,” Serrano said. “No matter where it’s at or what weight, I’m gonna win.”

via https://www.badlefthook.com/2019/9/13/20865351/hardy-vs-serrano-results-amanda-dominates-heather-win-wbo-title-scores-decision-dazn-boxing-news

WBO WORLD FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION HEATHER HARDY AND AMANDA SERRANO WILL BATTLE ON FRIDAY AT THE HULU THEATER @ MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

Just days ahead of their eagerly awaited showdown this Friday night, September 13, the stakes have risen for Brooklyn rivals, Heather “The Heat” Hardy (22-0, 4 KOs), the WBO Women’s Featherweight World Champion, and Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (36-1-1, 27 KOs). The two biggest New York City female boxing stars will fight in the 10-round co-main event

“Brooklynites Heather Hardy and Amanda Serrano are the two biggest female boxing stars in New York City and their world championship clash on Friday night will feature tremendous action,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.
“With each of their very large and passionate fan bases in the building, the atmosphere inside Hulu Theater at the Garden will be electric. The ladies have stolen this promotion; I won’t be surprised when they steal the show.”

Hardy captured the WBO Women’s Featherweight World Title with a 10-round unanimous decision victory in a rematch against Shelly Vincent on October 27, 2018, at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

A record-setting seven weight division world champion, Serrano returns to the same venue following her first-round knockout of Eva Voraberger on January 19, for the WBO Women’s Super Flyweight World Title. The bout was also telecast on DAZN.

Heather Hardy’s greatest attribute is her honesty. Whether in the ring or outside it, there is no question about where she stands; that’s led her to a world championship and a 22-0, 1 NC record when she has the gloves on. When she’s outside the ropes, it means that a question is responded to with a straight answer.

So about the power of her opponent on September 13, Amanda Serrano…

“Of all the people in my life that I’ve gotten into fights with – sparring, MMA, kickboxing, fights on the street – I never got punched as hard as Amanda hit me,” said Hardy who sparred with the seven-division world champion early in her career.

Despite this, Hardy is more than ready to take the fight to her fellow Brooklynite in Madison Square Garden’s Theater next week. And she’s not concerned with the power that has ended 27 of Serrano’s 36 wins.

“Hell no,” said Hardy. “I ain’t scared of nobody with two hands. You know I’m always here to talk about my mama, and my mama always told me, ‘Nobody will beat you like me,’ and she was not lying. (Laughs) She never told me one lie. Nobody will hit you like your mama.”

“The Heat” may be joking, but then again, she’s is dead serious when it comes to Serrano’s power and her willingness to take it. That willingness to walk through the fire hasn’t always been there for Serrano’s foes once they take a shot or two.

“If anyone’s gonna stand in there with Amanda, it’s gonna be somebody that’s not afraid,” said Hardy. “It’s a boxing match, a 10-round match, you’re gonna get touched. I think a lot of these girls that she’s stopped so early feel that power and they’re like what the hell was that. It’s shocking to get hit that solid. I’ve been hit by it and I remember, ‘Man, this girl hits like a dude.’ So I’m ready for that.”

Hardy remembers those days in the gym when she was brought in by Serrano’s manager / trainer Jordan Maldonado for some work. They weren’t easy sessions for the Gerritsen Beach native, but nothing has ever come easy for Hardy.

“I think Jordan was more impressed that I could take an ass whupping like I did way back when and still come back for more,” she said. “It’s hard for her to find durable bodies who were willing to come and get punched by her. And I was willing to come back and come back, so I think Jordan respected me for that, and then we kind of went our separate ways as far as building our names and our careers.”

The two remained friendly, Serrano even going as far as to tell me a few years ago that she would rather fight her sister Cindy than Hardy, so it surprised many in the New York City area when this bout was announced, including the champion.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you what happened,” said Hardy. “You’d have to ask her. Jordan always said from the beginning that we’re not gonna use each other to bring ourselves to the top and if we each ever get to a spot where we can make some money off fighting each other, then we’ll talk. I don’t listen to what people say; I just work, and then one day I got a call that said Amanda Serrano was challenging me for my belt and the WBO was ordering that I either vacate or take the fight. So here we are. But it actually did take me off guard. She has titles in seven different weight divisions, so it was kind of like, ‘Hmm, I wonder why you want to come for this one?’ But it’s not my place to wonder, I’m just here to fight.”

And fight Hardy does. Whether it’s under boxing rules, in mixed martial arts or in life, the 37-year-old never leaves anything for the swim home. That approach has had its ups and downs, but there’s no doubting that when it’s time to put the mouthpiece in, she’s going to be in the fray for as long as she’s able. That makes next week’s bout an intriguing one, because while Serrano has cemented her place on the pound-for-pound list as one of the elite in the game over the years, what happens in the late rounds if she hits Hardy with her best shots and “The Heat” is still marching forward? Hardy doesn’t think her challenger will fold.

“A lot of people seem to think that Amanda isn’t battle tested, and she really is,” said Hardy. “She knows how to walk through the fire, just like I do. And if anyone stands a chance in there with a vicious puncher like Amanda, it’s somebody like me. I’ve got the hardest head in the business.”

Many fans and pundits aren’t giving Hardy a chance, making her a sizeable underdog for the first time in her career. That’s no news to the woman making the walk that night, and again, she’s paying no mind to it, though it’s easy to tell that it stings a little.

“After you get to a certain point, it’s like if I don’t win, I kinda lose who I am,” said Hardy, whose last trip to the ring was her title-winning effort in a rematch with Shelly Vincent last October. “This fight is important to me because I am a big underdog and everyone’s already written me off. People are already talking about her fighting Katie (Taylor). One writer wrote, ‘This is gonna be the hardest win of her career.’ (Laughs) Okay. People like me, they love me, they want me to win, but nobody thinks I could really do it, except for the people who see me every day, like my team, my coaches, my sparring partners.”

That’s really all she needs, though in truth, all she needs is her own will and her own two fists. No one will be in the ring with her on September 13 except Serrano and a referee, and in a fistfight, Hardy will always feel good about her chances, even if she’s being looked at by some as the B-side as Serrano moves towards a SuperFight with undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor. But a fight with the Irish star is on the table for Hardy as well if she wins, and with so much at stake, how could anyone count her out?

“Everyone’s hyping up Amanda, the promoters are hyping up Amanda,” said Hardy. “I was almost called her tune-up, her warm-up, her step getting ready for Katie. It’s like I’m fighting everybody to win this one, but I don’t mind. In boxing, I’ve never been the underdog. In my real life, I’ve been fighting my way up from the bottom since I was a little one. That speaks real highly of your character because your character comes from how you fight when you’re at the bottom. I know what it’s like to fight from the bottom to the top. When people say that I couldn’t do it or I wouldn’t do it, or nobody could do it, I did things nobody would have ever dreamed I would. Imagine in 2012, when I turned pro and I won my first fight. Imagine me getting on the microphone and saying, ‘Guys, in five years, I’m gonna win my first world title on HBO.’ How many people would have laughed at me?”

Maybe a few, but they’re not laughing now. Heather Hardy delivers on her promises, and there are still some left to take care of.

By Thomas Gerbasi / BoxingScene.com

On Friday, September 13th, record-breaking seven-weight World champion Amanda Serrano challenges WBO World Featherweight champion Heather Hardy in an all-Brooklyn affair, brought to you by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Boxing USA at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

Serrano (36-1-1 27 KOs) conquered her seventh weight class at the Hulu Theater in title in January when the Puerto Rican destroyed Eva Voraberger inside the opening round to claim the vacant WBO Jr. Bantamweight title.

Serrano held the WBO Featherweight strap in 2016 before vacating it then her sister Cindy picked it up later that year. Hardy (22-0 4 KOs) was next in line to win the vacant title in October in a rematch against Shelley Vincent in the Hulu Theater. Hardy put boxing on hold to return to MMA in June with an outing at Bellator 222 at Madison Square Garden but returns to boxing to go head-to-head with her fellow Brooklynite.

“We found out in February that as a super-champion Amanda could call out any champion in any weight division and she would be the next defense — and she chose me. I didn’t get this far in the boxing game to not know how it works, they’re hyping up a big fight between her and Katie Taylor and this is the second of Amanda’s three-fight deal.

“It will be my first time competing as an underdog even as the current world champion but I’m excited as hell. Everyone knows I have the balls for it. I grew up with a tough mamma, trust me – nobody scares me.”

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring and excited to be fighting Heather Hardy,” said Serrano. “Heather is 22-0 for a reason, she always finds a way to win. We’ve sparred in the past and I’ve never had an easy day with her.

“So many of the other champions vacated their belts to avoid fighting me but Heather is a true world champion who will not give up her belt.

“We know each other well and I’m honored to fight her for her World title. It’s nothing personal, just business for two girls from Brooklyn in the ring.”

“On Friday, September 13, seven-division world champion Amanda ‘The Real Deal’ Serrano will attempt to wrest the WBO Featherweight title from undefeated champion Heather ‘The Heat’ Hardy in what promises to be an explosive matchup,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“Neither Hardy nor Serrano have ever been in a bad fight, both Brooklynites have passionate fan bases and are tremendous ambassadors for women’s boxing. This is a must-win fight for both boxers and will steal the show.”

Dina Thorslund (14-0, 6 KOs) defended her WBO Female World Jr. Featherweight title with a dominant display against mandatory challenger April Adams (11-2-1, 4 KOs) last night at the Forum Horsens in Denmark.

The Danish champion showed her class, winning every round on all three of the judges’ scorecards. She also showed her compassion by sparing a visibly stunned Adams in the final seconds of the tenth round, stepping back with smile and allowing the Australian challenger to finish the fight on her feet.

“I feel like I was in control for the whole fight,” said Thorslund following her second successive World title defence. “There wasn’t one second where I felt in doubt. It was a hard physical battle. April is a tough girl. She came here to win. I feel good and I’m very happy to have defended my belt in such a good fight.”

After the bout, Thorslund and her promoter Nisse Sauerland discussed future plans for the Danish star, including a move up in weight with a fight against WBO World Featherweight Champion Heather Hardy topping their wish list.

“That was a fantastic performance from Dina,” said Sauerland. “She showed tonight why she is one of the most exciting female fighters in the world. There are a lot of big opportunities for her now including a move up to featherweight and a fight with Heather Hardy. That would be huge in Denmark or America.”

“I want to be the best and that involves moving up in weight and collecting more titles,” said Thorslund. “I am ready to face anyone and that includes Hardy.”

Photo by KGZ Fougstedt.jpg

In a rematch of their epic 2016 “Fight of the Year”, Brooklyn’s Heather “The Heat” Hardy (21-0, 4 KOs) and Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent (23-1, 1 KO) will clash once again on October 27, at the Hulu Theater from Madison Square Garden. The scheduled 10-round bout, for the vacant WBO Women’s Featherweight World title, will open a sensational tripleheader televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Previously announced on the telecast, Daniel Jacobs (34-2, 29 KOs) and Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 KOs) will battle for the vacant IBF World Middleweight Title and Alberto Machado (20-0, 16 KOs) will defend his WBA Super Featherweight Title against Yuandale Evans (20-1, 14 KOs).

“I’m so excited and so honored to be fighting on HBO,” said Hardy. “Shelly and I have wanted a rematch since the first fight ended and it’s fitting that it’s on this huge card and will be telecast on HBO from Madison Square Garden. The first fight was one of the very best of 2016 and the rematch will start right where we finished off.”

Said Vincent emphatically about the world title bout and prospect of winning the title belt, “I’m not leaving without my property!”

“I was thrilled to call Heather and Shelly and let them know that their rematch will be telecast on HBO,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I have to give a lot of credit to Peter Nelson and HBO for advancing women’s boxing by stepping up to air this fight.”

“The first fight between Heather and Shelly was an outstanding, back-and-forth battle, reminiscent of the Gatti-Ward fights that I co-promoted. I anticipate nothing less when the bell rings for the rematch. October 27 is a stacked card, in the intimate setting of Hulu Theater from Madison Square Garden, and I encourage as many fans as possible to join us live.”

Fighting on August 21, 2016, in Coney Island, NY, and in a nationally telecast bout, Hardy won a hard-fought majority decision over 10 rounds. Hardy has since won three additional fights including two victories versus former world title challenger Edina Kiss. Most recently, Hardy scored an eight-round decision against Iranda Torres on April 21, in Brooklyn.

A native of Providence, RI, Vincent has stayed busy with five wins since her loss to Hardy, the only defeat of her eight years as a professional. As a result of her performance against Hardy, the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame named her their “Fighter of the Year” for 2016, with Vincent becoming the first female recipient of that award. In her last bout on July 21, Vincent took home an eight-round decision victory against Calista Silgado.

Tickets are on sale NOW from TicketMaster.com priced from $46, $66, $106, $206 and $356 (ringside). The Jacobs vs. Derevyanchenko event is promoted by Matchroom Boxing and DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc., Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions.

For the vacant WBO Featherweight title, Heather Hardy (21-0, 4 KOs) and Shelly Vincent (23-1, 1 KO) will collide in a rematch.  (Photo by Ed Mulholland).

They first collided in August of 2016, when Hardy won a ten round majority decision in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

The two women went face to face on Thursday in New York City, at a press conference to officially announce their fight on October 27 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden.