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Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff Writer
Boxing unified women’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano will headline in her homeland of Puerto Rico early next year — with Jake Paul in the co-main event, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced Thursday.
Serrano will defend her belts against Germany’s Nina Meinke on March 2 in San Juan. Paul will compete against an opponent yet to be named in the co-headliner. And 17-year-old Javon “Wanna” Walton, an up-and-coming Hollywood star who has a role in the hit show “Euphoria,” will make his professional boxing debut on the card.
Serrano vs. Meinke is contracted for 12 three-minute rounds. It will be Serrano’s second straight bout competing over three-minute rounds, which is the men’s standard in boxing and is not regularly used for women. Serrano relinquished her WBC women’s featherweight title earlier this month because the sanctioning body would not let her defend the belt in bouts with three-minute rounds.
Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) has won four straight since falling in a close loss to Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in April 2022. “The Real Deal” successfully defended her titles against Danila Ramos on Oct. 27. Serrano, 35, will be fighting in Puerto Rico for the first time since becoming undisputed champ.
Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs) has won six straight and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Laura Ledezma in October. The 30-year-old has never competed outside of Europe.
Paul (8-1, 5 KOs), a 26-year-old YouTuber-turned-prizefighter, just fought Dec. 15, beating Andre August with a huge uppercut knockout in the first round. The fight in Puerto Rico will represent another lower-profile bout as he gains experience and seasoning en route to what he and his team hopes is a future shot at a boxing world championship.
Also on the card, WBO junior flyweight champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez will make his third title defense and 21-year-old Serrano protégé Krystal Rosado will compete in her third pro fight. Both also hail from Puerto Rico.
Source: www.espn.com