All of the marbles on the road at Featherweight and Tremendous-Featherweight – Hitchins again dwelling – Seldin and Mati conflict
Watch the motion at Hulu Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York and dwell worldwide on DAZN
Amanda Serrano will face Erika Cruz in a Puerto Rico vs. Mexican battle for the Undisputed World Featherweight championship and Alycia Baumgardner takes on Elhem Mekhaled for the Undisputed World Tremendous-Featherweight championship at Hulu Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York on Saturday February 4, solely dwell worldwide on DAZN.
TICKETS START AT $30 (PLUS FEES) AND GO ON PRESALE TOMORROW (JAN 4) AT 12NOON ET AND ON GENERAL SALE FROM 12NOON ET ON THURSDAY (JAN 5) AT TICKETMASTER.COM AND MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT MSG.COM
Seven-weight World champion Amanda “Actual Deal” Serrano (43-2-1 30 KOs) appears to be like to grow to be the primary Puerto Rican born fighter to take dwelling the title of undisputed, as she lastly will get the chance at Featherweight the place she has dominated since 2019, after her history-making Light-weight conflict with Katie Taylor at Madison Sq. Backyard final April. Serrano faces off in opposition to Cruz in her hometown of New York Metropolis after a convincing win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England so as to add the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO and WBC belts at 126lbs.
The lacking piece of the jigsaw is the WBA crown that belongs to Cruz (15-1 3 KOs). The Mexican turned WBA champion in April 2021, ending the lengthy reign of Canadian Jelena Mrdjenovich in West Level, New York. Cruz defended the title in Mexico in November 2021 after which met Mrdjenovich in a rematch in September in Mexico and gained through shutout on factors. The 32 yr outdated, nicknamed ‘Dinamita’ will pose an enormous menace to Serrano’s hopes of turning into undisputed and put a spanner within the works of the Taylor rematch.
“This can be a pivotal second, not only for me and my very own profession however for my dwelling island of Puerto Rico,” stated Serrano. Incomes the chance to be an undisputed lineal champion is one thing most fighters solely dream about however turning into the primary boxer from Puerto Rico to be an undisputed champion would make it much more particular. I stay up for coming into the ring on Saturday, February 4th in my hometown of NYC again at Madison Sq. Backyard, taking over a Mexican champion in Erika Cruz and making Puerto Rican historical past. I encourage all my followers to show up and tune in!”
“We’ve come to appreciate nothing is unachievable for Amanda and he or she is actually setting the tone for a historic 2023 as she goes head-to-head with Mexico’s Erica Cruz in her combat first of the yr,” stated MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “Being the primary Puerto Rican born fighter to take dwelling the title of undisputed lineal champion is a objective we have now mentioned since she joined MVP fifteen months in the past.” With an unwavering dedication to boxing, Amanda’s focus has at all times been to be probably the greatest to ever step into the ring. The truth that the Puerto Rican greats, like Felix Trinidad, Wilfredo Gomez, Carlos Ortiz and Miguel Cotto by no means achieved undisputed standing however that Amanda Serrano will with a win, is a testomony to her and her crew’s greatness.”
“I’m grateful that this chance was lastly given to me after a few years of labor,” stated Cruz. “I’ve at all times gone in opposition to all the pieces, however God is on my aspect, and he has given me the energy to attain my targets. It’s time to make historical past and provides Mexico its first unified champion at 126 kilos.”
Baumgardner (13-1 7 KOs) had a superb 2022, capped by her victorious journey to London the place she unified the 130lbs division in opposition to bitter American rival and IBF, WBO and Ring Journal champion Mikaela Mayer in October through cut up choice. Baumgardner made it three wins on the bounce within the UK having ripped the WBC and IBO World titles from Terri Harper in Sheffield in November 2021 with a shocking KO and defending the belt for the primary time in April in Manchester, shutting out Edith Matthysse over ten rounds.
Like Serrano, the Detroit star simply wants the WBA belt to finish the complete set, and that belt is vacant with #3 ranked Mekhaled (15-1 3 KOs), and the French former interim WBC champion comes into the bout on the again of a slender reversal in a bruising encounter with Belgium’s former World ruler Delfine Persoon in Might in Abu Dhabi.
“Naturally, I’m VERY excited to lastly be combating for undisputed to make it official what I’ve recognized all alongside – I’m the world’s finest fighter on this division!” stated Baumgardner.
“To lastly return dwelling and debut in MY nation as a World champion is one thing I’ve been so trying ahead to and to have all of this come collectively as a co-main on the legendary Madison Sq. Backyard in NYC is so unimaginable!
“NYC is an superior illustration of our nation’s variety, the range that’s so close to and pricey to my heritage… so for me, it’s undoubtedly a becoming venue.
“I get to be an envoy for girls’s boxing in America on one of many largest phases for boxing on this planet! I plan to make use of my expertise as an athlete to indicate People and the world a stage of ladies’s boxing that many have by no means seen earlier than.
“Mekhaled is a good fighter. She’s fast, sensible, very expert, and skilled. Her document and her final combat, the place she actually outboxed Persoon exhibits that, however neither she nor anybody else on this division are on my stage. So, I plan to finish this one fast and make an instance out of her.
“She’s standing in between me and God’s plan, so I’m going to need to stroll straight by her. This gained’t be a combat ANYONE can name shut. She had a greater likelihood of ending the combat on her ft if she took the supply again in April when it was first supplied to her, however now, I really feel motivated to silence any remaining doubters and put everybody from 130 to 140 on discover – I’m coming!”
“Since my WBC interim 2019 title, I’ve been ready for this second,” stated Mekhaled. “Perhaps destiny has performed properly: as an alternative of 1 belt, there are all on the road!
“I’m tremendous excited to combat on February 4 on the legendary MSG in New York. God is aware of how decided I’m! It’s my time to shine. Thanks to my advisor Sarah Fina. #ANDTHENEW #UNDISPUTED.”
There’s a stacked card in help of the Undisputed double-header, and it’s led by Brooklyn’s personal Richardson Hitchins taking over New Jersey’s John Bauza for the IBF North American and USWBC 140lb titles.
It’s a second combat underneath the Matchroom banner for Hitchins (15-0 7 KOs) and the unbeaten 25 yr outdated will defend the IBF belt he gained on his first combat with Eddie Hearn in Cleveland in November, his first title combat within the paid ranks and look so as to add a second strap within the course of.
Hitchins fights in New York for the primary time since March 2019, and fellow unbeaten man Bauza (17-0 7 KOs) will need to spoil his return to motion within the Huge Apple. The Puerto Rican from NJ faces each his first title bout and first battle over ten rounds within the paid ranks on the evening. Bauza was a nationwide champion the identical yr that Hitchins represented Haiti within the 2016 Olympics and the pair are aware of one another having sparred previously.
“I’m excited to return again dwelling and showcase my expertise in entrance of my metropolis and my #1 followers,” stated Hitchins. “After I signed with Eddie, he promised he was going to show me right into a star and having the chance to return again so shortly after my final combat, and do it at dwelling, man I’m simply so grateful for this.
“Bauza isn’t any joke, we all know one another, however these are the kind of fights I need. I’m combating a younger, hungry, undefeated prospect like myself, however I really imagine I’m the very best 140 pounder on this planet and are available combat evening I’m going to indicate him I’m on a complete different stage. February 4th goes to be a really particular evening for me, and I simply can’t wait to be again in entrance of my hometown followers and present the world that I’m an issue at 140 lbs.”
“I’ve been ready for this second for some time now and at last it’s right here,” stated Bauza. “On February 4, I graduate from prospect to reputable world contender. This can be a big alternative for me to showcase myself and I plan on placing on a spectacular efficiency.
“I do know Richardson properly, we’ve sparred earlier than. I respect him as a fighter however he’s merely not on my stage and at MSG, he’s going to appreciate that awfully fast.”
Staten Island expertise Reshat Mati lands an enormous step up in his second title combat as he challenges on fellow New Yorker Cletus Seldin for his WBA NABA Tremendous-Light-weight title. Mati (13-0 7 KOs) picked up the WBC Youth title at 140lbs in Mexico Metropolis in October in a tricky tussle with Eduardo Rodriguez, outpointing the Mexican in his first ten spherical motion.
Skilled banger Seldin (26-1 22 KOs) will present a good more durable check in Mati’s second bout with a belt on the road, with ‘The Hebrew Hammer’ will need to prolong his 5 combat KO profitable streak as he returns to the ring for the primary time since October 2021 when he knocked out William Silva in his Brooklyn yard.
There are two extra feminine title fights on the cardboard, as Australian star Skye Nicolson appears to be like to take an enormous step in the direction of World title motion in opposition to fellow unbeaten fighter Tania Alvarez for the WBC Silver Featherweight title and there’s one other all-undefeated belt battle as Ramla Ali faces title motion for the primary time within the paid ranks as she meets Avril Mathie for the IBF Intercontinental Tremendous-Bantamweight strap.
Nicolson (5-0) will look to bag belt quantity two only one month shy of a full yr within the paid ranks having bagged the Commonwealth title on dwelling turf in Queensland in October, finishing a singular double having gained Commonwealth gold for her nation in the identical state in 2018. Will probably be an evening of firsts for Spaniard Alvarez (7-0 1 KO) as ‘La Violenca’ fights exterior of Spain for the primary time and in her first ten spherical bout for a belt.
Ali (7-0 2 KOs) and Mathie (8-0-1 3 KOs) additionally combat for his or her first title within the paid ranks, with Somali Olympian Ali heading into the competition after recording her second KO win and second within the first session of a combat in Saudi Arabia, the primary feminine combat held within the nation, whereas Florida based mostly Aussie Mathie saved her unbeaten document intact with victory in her solely combat of 2022 in June in Atlanta.
Two extra undefeated fighters style motion on the cardboard as Aaron Aponte (6-0-1 2 KOs) appears to be like to get again to profitable methods in opposition to Joshua David Rivers (8-1 5 KOs) following his entertaining cut up draw on the Canelo-GGG card in Las Vegas in September, and Brooklyn’s Harley Mederos (4-0 3 KOs) fights in New York for the primary time in opposition to Mexico’s Julio Madera (4-2 2 KOs).
“What a begin to 2023 we have now in retailer in New York,” stated promoter Eddie Hearn. “The ladies proceed to cleared the path in undisputed fights, and we have now two of the easiest in motion on February 4.
“Puerto Rico vs. Mexico fights at all times ship fireworks, and we are able to count on nothing much less when Amanda and Erika meet. Their conflict of kinds will make for a superb spectacle as Amanda and her military of followers returns to the scene of her history-making combat of the yr with Katie, and we are able to count on an identical ambiance to one of many best nights the game has ever seen.
“Alycia was one of many standout fighters in 2022 and he or she has the undisputed battle she needed the second she ripped the titles from Terri within the UK – however what a golden alternative for Ehlem to upset the chances.
“Reshat is in deep with the massive hitting ‘Hebrew Hammer’ Seldin and Skye and Ramla each have huge title fights that could possibly be essential on their paths to World title motion.
“I can’t look ahead to February 4, it’s a stacked card from high to backside and a good way for us to kick off an enormous yr for Matchroom on DAZN.”
“What a approach to kick off our US boxing schedule with two blockbuster undisputed fights on the Backyard! We’re extremely excited to be working with Amanda, Jake, Nakisa and the MVP crew as soon as once more, and to have probably the greatest round, Alycia Baumgardner, again on DAZN. Each are really distinctive fighters. Watch this sensible combat evening, dwell worldwide on DAZN”, stated Joe Markowski, CEO DAZN North America.
