The supporting cast for the next entry in Amanda Serrano’s historic career will include her own protégé as well as a crossroads bout between an Olympian and a former major titlist

BoxingScene.com has confirmed that 2016 U.S, Olympian and bantamweight contender Antonio Vargas will meet former WBA flyweight titlist Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez in a scheduled ten-round regional bantamweight title fight. The bout will headline the preliminary undercard preceding the October 27 DAZN main show where Serrano (45-2-1, 30KOs) defends her lineal and unified featherweight championship versus interim WBO titlist Danila Ramos. Serrano-Ramos is scheduled for twelve, three-minute rounds atop a four-fight DAZN telecast from Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Confirmed for the main show, unbeaten lightweights Alexander Rios (7-0, 4KOs) and Benigno Aguilar (10-0, 4KOs) meet in a scheduled six-round contest. Rounding out the main undercard telecast, the Serrano-managed Krystal Rosado is set for her second pro fight. The former amateur standout from Puerto Rico will appear in a bout versus an opponent to be determined. Rosado (1-0, 1KO) made her pro debut at this very venue in an August 18 knockout win on the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)-presented second edition of the MVProspects series.

All three bouts support to the already announced October 27 DAZN main event where Serrano (45-2-1, 30KOs) defends her featherweight championship versus Danila Ramos.

“The world will be watching Amanda Serrano and Danila Ramos make history Friday, October 27th as the first-ever unified women’s championship bout to be fought at 12, three-minute rounds,” Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a joint statement provided to BoxingScene.com. “Preceding their historic fight, MVP is thrilled to continue shining a spotlight on both the best and most promising fighters through Most Valuable Prospects III. Rios vs Aguilar will undoubtedly be a Puerto Rico vs Mexico battle and Krystal Rosado is looking to continue her spectacular start to her professional career.”

The locally based Vargas (16-1, 9KOs) is unbeaten in his last seven starts after a stunning first-round knockout defeat in his Kissimmee (Florida) hometown to Jose Maria Cardenas in May 2019. A member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic boxing team that competed in Rio, Vargas rattled off six consecutive victories before his most recent bout versus Francisco Pedroza Portillo ended in a No-Contest. A clash of heads left Pedroza cut in round two and unable to continue prior to the start of the fourth round of their May 12 bout at Caribe Royale.

Marquez (47-10-2, 33KOs) held the WBA flyweight title once upon a time, in an era where he served as a can’t-miss action fighter. The 35-year old southpaw from Empalme, Sonora, Mexico has seen better days but has won four in a row headed into a must-win scenario. His most recent victory came in a ten-round split decision over Luis ‘Nica’ Concepcion, whom he defeated via 11th round knockout for his lone major title in their April 2011 scorcher. He also knocked out Concepcion in the first round of their rematch later that October.

Serrano will attempt the sixth defense of her third tour as a featherweight champ. She once again made history for Puerto Rico earlier this year when she fully unified the featherweight division in a ten-round win over Erika Cruz. The February 4 headliner at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City remains a leading candidate for 2023 Fight of the Year.

An agreement with Argentina’s Ramos (12-2, 1KO) was reached for their title consolidation bout to carry historical implications. Serrano has previously pushed for twelve-round fights and three-minute rounds to match the men, and found a willing partner in Ramos to once again raise the bar for women in boxing.  

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox