Welterweight Nick “Hands of Gold” Casal and unbeaten lightweight Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano made impressive Boxing 360 debuts last Friday night in Hamburg, New York. Fighting for the first time in 1 ½ years, Casal (30-4-1, 16KOs) stopped veteran Martin Tucker (7-9, 3 KOs) in the third round, while unbeaten 23-year-old Serrano (9-0-1, 5 KOs) completed her trilogy with former IWBF champion Ela “Bam Bam” Nunez (9-9, 2 KOs) by way of a fourth-round knockout.
“We’re very happy with the performances by Nick and Amanda,” Boxing 360 CEO & Founder Mario Yagobi said. “We’re going to keep them busy, move them up the ratings ladder, and position them for world title fight shots.”
Tucker has been somewhat of a gatekeeper for the 147-pound division having fought top prospects such as undefeated Sharif Bogere (19-0, 2 KOs) and Ivan Popoca (15-0-1, 10 KOs), and he also upset previously unbeaten Michael Torres (13-0). Casal dropped a game Tucker at the end of the opening round, once again with a flurry of punches in the third, after which the fight was halted.
“It felt great,” Casal spoke about his ring return. “There were a lot of people there supporting me. It’s always good fighting at home (Casal is from nearby Niagara Falls).
I was a little rusty but did a good job, especially after being off for 1 ½ years. But I’m only 25 and been fighting seven years.
“I want to stay busy and fight as often as possible. I think Mario can do that for me. Everybody makes mistakes when they’re young. I’m more mature today and I’m looking forward to fighting for a world title. No more time to play, it’s now or never for me.”
Serrano and Nunez had fought to a four-round draw in 2009, marking the lone blemish on Amanda’s pro record, and Serrano won a six-round decision (59-55, 59-55, 58-56) this past January. Serrano wanted one more fight against Nunez to make a statement by knocking her out. She did just that midway through the fourth round. Their trilogy fight is scheduled for six rounds.
Serrano is rated in the top six of four ratings groups: WBAN #3, WBC #4, GBU #5 and WIBA #6. “After the draw, we asked Nunez for a rematch and she agreed,” Serrano explained the making of their third fight. “After I beat her by decision, she asked is for a rematch and we gave it to her. My trainer was a little upset with me because I didn’t stop her, so I went back to the gym to work even hard, and ran more. I watched the (Victor) Ortiz-(Andre) Berto fight and thought about Ortiz refusing to lose. I wanted to show my profession going from a draw, to winning by decision, and then stopping her. I want to win major title this year. I want to become the face of women’s boxing.”
