Amanda Serrano’s title defense against Nina Meinke on Saturday in her home country of Puerto Rico was canceled at the last moment because the champion has an eye injury.
Jake Paul, her promoter, said she has an “exposed cornea,” which means it is damaged. Neither he nor Serrano said how or when she suffered the injury.
A tearful Serrano, who cherished the opportunity to fight in front of her fans, was clearly devastated as she and Meinke stood in the ring in San Juan for the stunning announcement.
She said she was willing to do battle despite the injury but doctors nixed the fight after she failed an eye exam.
“I’m so sorry. I came to fight, I came to put on a show for you guys,” she said as some in the crowd booed. “One thing I will tell you, I will be back. This is where I will retire. … I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart.”
She said she could barely see out of her eye.
“I was willing to go out there and still give the fans a show but they just wouldn’t allow me to,” she said.
Paul, who knocked out opponent Ryan Bourland in the first round moments earlier, said the fight will be rescheduled.
“She’s going to push through this, heal the eye,” said Paul, who had his arm around Serrano to comfort her. “And we’re going to come back as soon as we can and re-run it. Nina wants that, Amanda wants that.
“This happened 36 hours ago. We did everything we could to keep the fight on but it wasn’t being approved by the commissions.”
Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) would have fought in her native country for the first time since 2021. Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs) was hoping to win her first world title.
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