Amanda Serrano and Reina Tellez got here nose to nose for the primary time forward of their championship bout on the pre-fight press convention on Tuesday. The competition headlines the primary MVP occasion of 2026 on January 3 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente Walker in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) places her unified WBA and WBO featherweight titles on the road, aiming to bounce again from two losses in opposition to Katie Taylor. The 37-year-old Puerto Rican was initially scheduled to face Erika Cruz for the second time, however their rematch was canceled following an “atypical discovering” in Cruz’s VADA testing.
On the press convention, Serrano promised followers “a deal with” when she faces Tellez contained in the ring.
“I’m tremendous excited to be right here,” Serrano mentioned. “The final time I fought in Puerto Rico was proper right here [at Plaza del Tótem]. The ring was proper right here within the center, and I received a stoppage. It was an incredible evening, and I’m excited to be right here once more with this superb card, superb fighters, and superb ladies. You guys are in for a deal with Saturday evening.”
“That is the enterprise. We could be good to one another outdoors. Clearly, you’ve seen all of my fights. I’ve by no means been disrespectful to any of my opponents. However after we go in there, we put in that work, and we make certain the followers get what they paid for, and we’re going to go on the market.”
“And whoever comes out victorious, we’re nonetheless going to be buddies afterwards. I’m nonetheless going to be a fan of Reina’s and her sister. And I’m nonetheless going to observe her develop into the game and the superb champion she will likely be at some point.”
‘It took me a few day’
Taking the struggle on pretty quick discover, Tellez (13-0-1, 5 KOs) of Vero Seaside, Florida, makes her first try to develop into a champion and appears to say two of boxing’s main belts. The San Antonio-based 22-year-old mentioned it took her a few day to just accept the struggle.
“To begin with, Puerto Rico is gorgeous,” Tellez mentioned. “I’ve by no means been right here. Once I received the decision, I used to be shocked. Somebody [Amanda Serrano] I’ve watched my entire life. I believe she fought for her first world title once I first began boxing. It tells the story. I’m extraordinarily grateful to be on this platform, however not to mention struggle someone I watched rising up and simply in my profession.”
“It’s simply loopy to say generally I simply give it some thought, and I can’t absolutely course of it as a result of it’s actual. I didn’t suppose I might be on this place, not to mention this yr. Once they gave me the decision, I took the chance and simply jumped on it, and we’re doing what we are able to do.”
“It took me a few day [to take the fight]. I knew that alternatives like this come as soon as in a lifetime, and also you by no means know when it’s going to come back again round. I actually don’t have anything to lose and all the things to realize. It’s a high-risk, high-reward scenario, and like I mentioned, I’m grateful for it.”
“I’m going to do what the gameplan is. There’s going to be some situations the place we’re going to need to struggle it out, and there’s going to be instances the place we’re boxing.”
Within the co-feature, Stephanie Han (11-0, 3 KOs) of El Paso, Texas, faces Holly Holm (34-2-3, 9 KOs) of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Han makes her second protection of the WBA light-weight title, whereas former boxing and UFC champion Holm seems to be to as soon as once more declare one of many belts acknowledged by IBHOF.
