Amanda Serrano Eyes First World Title Shot
Undefeated, North American Boxing Federation (“NABF”)Featherweight Champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano took another step towards a world title fight when her most recent opponent, Diana Garcia, was unable to answer the bell for the second round in last Saturday night’s fight in the Dominican Republic.
The 22-year-old Serrano (11-0-1, 7 KOs), a native of Puerto Rico who lives in Brooklyn, is ranked No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation (“IBF”), and she figures to move up higher in the IBF’s next ratings.
“We’re finalizing negotiations right now to get Amanda into a world title fight, hopefully, September 10 in Brooklyn,” Boxing 360 CEO/Founder Mario Yagobi said.“She’s worked hard to get into a world title shot position and we believe she earned this opportunity.”
Serrano is tentatively slated to face Fatuma Zarika (23-5-1, 14 KOs), of Kenya, for the vacant IBF Junior Lightweight Championship.
Demyanenko Ready to Rock
Boxing 360’s newest member, undefeated welterweight prospect Vitaliy “Demyan” Demyanenko (19-0, 12 KOs), is itching to get back into action. “He hasn’t fought in more than a year and he’s willing to fight any light welterweight or welterweight, especially Paulie Malignaggi, in the world,” Yagobi added. “We’re getting all of his visa paperwork in order and hope to have him fighting very soon.”
Rated as high as No. 8 by the World Boxing Organization this past May, Vitaliy is a native of Kazakhstan, who had more than 150 amateur fights, capturing the Kazakhstan National Championship in 1999, as well as a gold medal in the Junior Olympics.
His father, Viktor Demyanenko, captured a silver medal in the 1980 Olympics representing the USSR, and he also was the 1979 European lightweight champion. Vitali is a college graduate who speaks Russian, English, Kajak and is learning Spanish.
On The Ropes
In other Boxing 360 news, Dominican lightweight champion Eudy “AK47” Bernardo (9-0, 6 KOs) is in the process of relocating to New York City. Super featherweight prospect Joel Diaz (5-0, 4 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact, when he knocked out Esteban Nichol (3-2, 3 KOs) in the opening round of their July 29 fight on the Shumenov-Santiago card at South Point Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.
Yagobi hopes to have WBC #5 super bantamweight Leon “Hurry Up” Moore (28-2, 22 KOs), who is now settled living in New York City, back in the ring very soon.
Heavyweight Mike Mollo (20-3-1, 12 KOs) has the opportunity of his career on August 27, when he takes on undefeated prospect Seth Mitchell (22-0, 16 KOs) on an HBO card in San Jose, California.
