Amanda Serrano became the first women and the first Puerto Rican to win world titles in five weight divisions with an eighth-round TKO of Dahiana Santana to capture the vacant WBO Women’s Bantamweight World Championship in the featured bout of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME.
Serrano (32-1-1, 24 KOs) was the aggressor from the opening bell, moving forward and attacking with precision as Santana (35-9, 14 KOs) backed up and ate a steady diet of counter shots. Santana was deducted a point for clinching in the fourth, and had visible welts above both eyes following the seventh.
Serrano was connecting at an almost 3-1 power punch ratio when referee Benjy Esteves stepped-in to stop the bout at 1:14 of the eighth round.
“It means everything to me. We worked so hard. We worked hard for this moment,” Serrano said. “To be a five division world champion is amazing. To be the first female and first Puerto Rican is amazing.
“I’m so proud to be a Puerto Rican. I’m so proud to be a SHOWTIME fighter. I’m just so happy for this moment. Just to be a five-division world champion, I could retire today and it’d be the happiest moment of my life. I’m just getting started. I hope I’m back again.”
All photos by Marilyn Paulino/RBRBoxing
