Serrano dominates Hardy, but it's all smiles at the end
Plus: Green beats Curry in muted performance; fight schedule
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Serrano and Hardy leave it all in the ring
Saturday night’s main event, Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz, was definitely overshadowed by the co-main feature. Amanda Serrano and Heather Hardy put on quite the performance, going toe to toe at full force for 10 rounds.
The fight was clearly one-sided from the first round, with Serrano doling out severe punishment, wobbling Hardy a bit before the first break. Despite a brutal beating and a bloody head wound, Hardy hung in there and delivered one of the finest showings of heart I’ve ever seen, and an impressive chin - and she never went down.
"I gave everything I had today, I can't even... I gave everything for three months, I have no excuses that was everything."
- Heather Hardy, post-fight interview
In the post-fight interview, Serrano expressed that she wanted this fight to pay Hardy back for giving her a title shot in the past, so Hardy could make a significant amount of money, something she had never really been able to do during her career as they grossly underpaid female fighters. Both fighters embraced, proud of each other and the great fight they gave fans.
I do hope Heather Hardy decides to retire after this - at 41, she’s earned it.
For Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner was in the commentators’ booth making a case for a potential fight between the two of them, so we’ll see if that plays out. Or, she’ll make a transition to MMA for a bit
Catch the highlights in the video above.
Green beats Curry on the scorecards, but not in heart
Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green (not my favorite nickname) is hoping to solidify her status as a challenger for big names like Claressa Shields, and she came into this fight needing a big, showy, decisive win to propel herself there. Opponent Olivia Curry looked pretty nervous in her corner and looked extremely unsteady on her feet through the first few punches landed by Green. But surprising everyone, she survived all 10 rounds, refusing to go down and showing everyone how much heart she has as a fighter. Green, for all her talk of knockout power, didn’t manage to put her on the canvas - Green won by unanimous decision. As for her future fights, it doesn’t seem like Claressa Shields is taking her very seriously - Green is currently the mandatory challenger for Savannah Marshall’s WBC title, so I think that should be her next goal.
(⭐ = Title Fight)
Thursday, August 10
Pembroke Pines, Florida, USA
Casie Dees vs. Jessika Smith - 5 round - Lightweight
New York, New York, USA
Christina Cruz vs. Nancy Franco - 8 rounds - Super Flyweight
Friday, August 11
Cordoba, Argentina
⭐Juliana Vanesa Basualdo vs. Vanesa Lorena Taborda - 10 rounds - Super Bantamweight - For the vacant Federacion Argentina de Box Argentinian Super Bantamweight title
Osaka, Japan
Yuka Ota vs. Yukiko Ijuin - 4 rounds - Super Bantamweight
Atlanta, Georgia, USA (Live on DAZN)
Stephanie Chavez vs. Devany Cuevas Torres - 6 rounds - Super Flyweight
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Daniela Gisele Molina vs. Carmen Bratschi - 4 rounds - Flyweight
Saturday, August 12
London, England (Live on DAZN)
Maisey Rose Courtney vs. Gemma Ruegg - 6 rounds - Super Flyweight
Paraiba, Brazil
Mayara Thays Farias Bezerra vs. Andressa Alves Garcia - 4 rounds - Super Bantamweight
Medellin, Colombia
Angi Romero vs. TBA - 6 rounds - Lightweight
Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Daniella Ntsii Muleketsi vs. Benediction Lulua Mwamba - 4 rounds - Welterweight
Auckland, New Zealand
Holly McMath vs. Sarah Watt - 8 rounds - Super Flyweight
Montevideo, Uruguay
Sheila Fabiana Liesegang vs. Daniela Ayelen Rodriguez - 4 rounds - Super Lightweight
Lucia Evelyn Marrero vs. Micaela Soledad Dominguez - 4 rounds - Featherweight
Uncasville, Connecticut, USA
Jaime Clampitt vs. Josefina Vega - 8 rounds - Super Feather
Sioux, Iowa, USA
Nicole Chisholm vs. Cara McLaughlin - 6 rounds - Bantamweight
Houston, Texas, USA
Reina Tellez vs. Uneaka Best - 4 rounds - Super Bantamweight