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A14 sports
Monday 6 February 2023
Amanda Serrano now undisputed champ, sets up Taylor rematch

By BRIAN MAHONEY featherweight, smiled
AP Sports Writer throughout the ring intro-
NEW YORK (AP) — Amanda ductions.
Serrano finally has all four She pumped her arms to
belts in her weight class. encourage louder cheers
Next, she can have re- from her Puerto Rican fans
venge on Katie Taylor. — who moments later be-
Serrano wore down a gan booing when Taylor
bloody Erika Cruz and won was shown on a large vid-
a unanimous decision Sat- eo screen in the arena.
urday night to become the Both they were all smiles in
undisputed featherweight the ring together afterward
champion and set up a re- talking about what will be
match with fellow champ the unbeaten Taylor’s first
Taylor. They fought a thriller pro fight in Ireland.
last year at Madison Square Alycia Baumgardner gave
Garden and are expecting the 130-pound division an
nothing less in Ireland on undisputed champion with
May 20. a unanimous decision vic-
“The last fight was an epic tory over Elhem Mekhaled.
fight and I think the next Baumgardner (14-1, 7 KOs)
one’s going to be exactly added the vacant WBA
the same,” Taylor said. Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serran, left, punches Mexico’s Erika Cruz Hernandez during the second belt to the three she had
Before that, Serrano got round of a women’s featherweight championship boxing bout Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 in New York. held since last year, using
the better of a bout in Serrano won the fight. a pair of knockdowns to
which the fighters stood Associated Press cruise to scores of 99-89 on
close and kept swinging two cards and 98-90 on the
throughout, emerging with rano by split decision last rounds to pull it out, per- traded combinations for other.
the victory by scores of 98- April 30 before a sold-out haps a little stronger with what largely an even first After a couple competitive
92 on two cards and 97-93 crowd in the first women’s Serrano moving up two few rounds. But the pace rounds to start, Baumgard-
on the other. match to headline at Mad- weight classes to fight her. appeared to catch up with ner landed a right in the
Cruz spent much of the ison Square Garden. Back at her preferred Cruz in the fifth, and fatigue third round that momen-
fight wiping away blood Back in the Garden, this weight of 126, Serrano ap- might have been a factor tarily buckled Mekhaled’s
from near her eyes after a time in the smaller Hulu The- peared to be the fresher when Serrano caught her legs. She quickly pounced
clash of heads in the third ater, Serrano found herself fighter Saturday. She won with a good shot in the final and dropped her, and af-
round. with another tough test, the final eight rounds on seconds of the round. ter Mekhaled (15-2) got up,
With the Mexican’s light but this one went her way. one card and the last sev- Serrano than accelerated Baumgardner swarmed
blue outfit turning progres- And she thinks her next en on another. the pressure in the sixth, the her with a sustained attack
sively redder during the match will, too. Cruz (15-2) held the fourth most decisive round of the that sent her to the canvas
bout, perhaps Serrano was “I’ve done enough and I and final belt that Serrano fight. again.
helped find the range with will do more,” Serrano said needed to complete her A quick, short right froze Baumgardner had Me-
her combinations. of the rematch. goal of becoming the first Cruz and Serrano followed khaled hurt again in the
Afterward, promoter Ed- The match with Taylor was undisputed champion from up with a flurry that drove seventh, driving her back
die Hearn said Serrano one of the most significant Puerto Rico, and made her the Mexican from one side into the ropes and ap-
(44-2-1, 30 KOs) and Taylor, in women’s boxing history work for it. of the ring to the other. pearing close to stopping
who joined him in the ring, and lived up to the hype, The fighters stood close The 34-year-old Serrano, a her before Mekhaled was
would meet again. Taylor, earning numerous fight of — close enough to bang champion in seven weight able to escape the round
the undisputed champion the year awards. heads and open a cut on classes who decided late and they had a good ex-
at lightweight, edged Ser- Taylor won most of the late Cruz’s forehead — and in her career to focus on change in the eighth.q

German star Friedrich wins another

4-man world bobsled title

bobsled championship on of the drivers who shared gold medals and eight of a
Sunday, ending yet anoth- second place. Brad Hall of possible 18 medals overall.
er dominant showing for Britain and Emils Cipulis of Britain grabbed the other
Germany at the season’s Latvia both got their sleds gold when Matt Weston
biggest competition. across the line in 4:20.30. won the men’s skeleton
Friedrich — also the two- The U.S. four-man sled title. The U.S. tied for sec-
time defending Olympic driven by Geoff Gadbois ond with Britain in the
champion in the four-man finished 18th. overall medal standings at
event — and his team of Out of six events at the the world championships
Francesco Friedrich and Team of Germany reacts after the the Thorsten Margis, Candy world championships – with two, both captured
Men’s 4-Bob World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Bauer and Alexander men’s skeleton, women’s by Kaillie Humphries. She
Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. Schüller finished four runs skeleton, two-man, four- won silver in monobob
Associated Press over two days in 4 minutes, man, women’s bobsled and teamed with Kaysha
ST. MORITZ, Switzerland rich drove to his fifth con- 19.61 seconds. That time and women’s monobob Love for bronze in the two-
(AP) — Francesco Fried- secutive world four-man was 0.69 seconds ahead – Germany claimed five woman event.q