Amanda Serrano-Nina Meinke called off, Jake Paul obliterates Ryan Bourland in opening round
Early Saturday, Most Valuable Promotions sent out a press release declaring that the anticipated unified Ring Magazine featherweight championship between Puerto Rican star Amanda Serrano and challenger Nina Meinke set a record gate with over 17,000 expected in attendance at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan.
However, while those fans were treated to a quality undercard once the DAZN-streamed show began, it was shockingly announced that the main event was cancelled just before Serrano and Meinke were supposed to enter the ring. The two veterans did enter the ring, flanked by beloved hall of famer Felix Trinidad, but it was to tell the confused and soon-to-be frustrated fans that the fight was off.
A tearful Serrano told her fans that the Puerto Rican Boxing Commission doctors would not clear her to fight after she suffered some sort of eye damage that occurred when she was getting her hair braided and prepared for the big event (it is rumored that gel, or some chemical hair product accidently got into one of her eyes and she was unable to pass the eye exam). MVP co-founder Jake Paul, who overwhelmed Ryan Bourland in one round in the co-featured bout of the card, announced to the crowd that Serrano’s “cornea was exposed.” Serrano, who wore sunglasses, admitted that she couldn’t see out of the damaged eye. (They did not say which eye was injured.)
An emotional Amanda Serrano expresses her heartfelt disappointment that she was not cleared to fight tonight. pic.twitter.com/hcTAYuZPgX
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 3, 2024
Evidently the commission ruling came down 36 hours before the show and Serrano had tried to appeal to the doctor’s decision up until the card began. MVP announced that Meinke will be paid her full purse and that it will refund any ticketholder 100% if they request it.
Official statement on the cancellation of Serrano vs. Meinke. pic.twitter.com/UGexLXulKM
— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) March 3, 2024
More details on Serrano’s bizarre situation will be posted as more information is available.
As for Paul, the 27-year-old influencer/promoter looked confident and technically sharp improving to 9-1 (6 KOs). The Cleveland, Ohio native never allowed the 10-year veteran to get into the fight, stunning him with the first power shots he landed and staying on top of the 35-year-old North Dakota resident until referee Luis Pabon was forced to step in at 2:37 of the opening round. It should be noted that Bourland (17-3, 6 KOs) is a club fighter who was inactive in 2023 and had only fought once (in 2022) since October 2018.
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