Sports
Amanda Serrano vs Reina Tellez: Champion retains title on points in Puerto Rico
Amanda Serrano marked her Puerto Rico homecoming with a hard-earned but dominant points win over Reina Tellez to retain her WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine featherweight titles.
The 37-year-old, fighting in her home country for the first time since 2021, imposed herself on Tellez with sharp combinations and showcased her ring intelligence at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan.
The American challenger, who accepted the bout on just 15 days’ notice, caused swelling under Serrano’s right eye with an overhand left in the fifth.
Serrano’s experience ultimately told, however, as the seven-division world champion controlled the latter stages to earn scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 97-93.
“I’m super thankful and grateful to Reina for coming on short notice and coming to fight,” Serrano said. “She’s a warrior.”
The bout was contested over 10 three-minute rounds – under men’s boxing rules – and victory extends Serrano’s professional record to 48 wins, with four defeats – three of them against undisputed light-welterweight champion Katie Taylor – and one draw.
“It’s been two years since I fought at this weight. I feel the next fights are going to be much better and I’m glad I could give the fans a show,” Serrano added.
In the chief support, combat sports great Holly Holm fell short in her bid to become a four-division boxing champion as she was outpointed by WBA lightweight title-holder Stephanie Han.
The fight was stopped in the seventh round after the ringside doctor deemed Han unable to continue because of a cut to her forehead caused by an accidental clash of heads, with the champion retaining her title by unanimous decision.
Holm, 44, returned to professional boxing in 2025 after a 12-year absence, having spent more than a decade competing in mixed martial arts with the UFC.
