In the first significant boxing card of 2026, WBA/WBO unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano will now face a new opponent in her title defense after her original opponent failed a drug test.
Most Valuable Promotions announced that Serrano (47-4-1, 31 KOs) will now face Boxlab Promotions’undefeated Reina Tellez of San Antonio (13-0-1, 5 KOs) with Serrano’s titles on the line on Saturday, January 3 at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The fight card airs live globally on DAZN.
Tellez, the former WBC Youth featherweight champion, replaces Erika Cruz of Mexico in the 10-round world title bout following an atypical finding in Cruz’s Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) testing.
“Due to the atypical finding in Erika Cruz’s VADA testing prior to the event, Team Serrano was not willing to move forward with the fight. MVP unequivocally supports the decision as we never want one of our athletes to feel they are competing in a potentially unfair bout,” said promoters Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian of Most Valuable Promotions in an issued statement.
“We look forward to supporting Amanda as she now takes on Reina Tellez, a hungry contender with a highly decorated amateur background and outstanding pro career to date.”
Serrano posted a message to her social media followers about the decision.
To all my fans the change of opponent came from a VADA atypical finding of Clenbuterol in Erika Cruz’s test.
Having taken a bunch of VADA tests myself in preparation for my biggest fights (All 3 vs Katie Taylor, vs Heather Hardy 1) my manager requested it because of Erika’s… pic.twitter.com/ZubrzxPg4i— Amanda Serrano (@Serranosisters) December 18, 2025
Amanda Serrano: ‘Up For The Challenge’
Serrano was enthusiastic about a rematch with Cruz, who put up a spirited defense in a decision loss to Serrano in 2023.
“I’m disappointed the original fight couldn’t move forward, but my priority has always been respect for the sport,” said Serrano.
“Reina Tellez is a tough opponent who’s earned this opportunity, and I am up for the challenge. Fighting at home in Puerto Rico, defending my world titles, and continuing to push women’s boxing forward under equal rules means everything to me. Saturday, January 3, is about showing the world once again what Puerto Rican fighters are made of.”
Reina Tellez: ‘This Is the Moment’
Tellez, a Team USA veteran who has been boxing since 2012, established herself as a top amateur competitor. She won gold at the 2015 and 2017 National Junior Olympics, won the 2018 National Golden Gloves championship, and earned back-to-back silver medals at the 2018 and 2019 National Junior Olympics.
After making her pro debut in 2021 in the only technical draw on her record, Tellez returned to boxing in 2023. She won her next three bouts by TKO.
In June 2024, Tellez defeated Hungarian prospect Beata Dudek on the undercard of Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin in Las Vegas. Three weeks later, Tellez successfully outpointed Wendellin Cruz to win the vacant WBC Youth Featherweight title by unanimous decision, before dropping down to win the NABF super bantamweight and bantamweight titles later that year.
Tellez, age 22, recently defeated Mayela Perez by unanimous decision in September 2025.
“This is the moment I’ve been fighting for my whole life. To step into the ring with a champion like Amanda Serrano, someone I’ve looked up to, is an honor, but I’m not here just to share the spotlight,” said Tellez.
“I’m here to win. I represent San Antonio, I represent every fighter chasing a dream, and I’m coming with everything I’ve got. On fight night, the world’s going to see just how hungry I am to make history.”
Serrano vs Tellez Headlines Full Fight Card
Serrano vs. Tellez will feature 12 additional bouts.
In the co-main event, WBA World Lightweight champion Stephanie Han of El Paso, Texas (11-0, 3 KOs) will defend her title against the most dominant two-sport athlete in combat sports history, former boxing and UFC champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm of Albuquerque (34-2-3, 9 KOs). Holm will attempt to win a world title in her fourth division.
Han vs. Holm will be a 10-round lightweight championship bout contested under equal rules to men with three-minute rounds, joining Serrano and Tellez in a historic statement for women’s boxing.
Former IBF bantamweight world champion and newly signed MVP star Ebanie Bridges of Australia, now fighting out of England (9-2, 4 KOs), makes her promotional debut against Alexis Araiza of Fort Worth, Texas (3-2-1, 1 KO) in an eight-round bout. Bridges returns after she and her husband, former world champion Kell Brook, had son Ezerra Ray Brooks on February 20.
Puerto Rican prospect Krystal Rosado of Puerto Rico (7-1, 2 KOs) takes on Tania Walters of Toronto (7-3, 2 KOs) in a six-round bantamweight bout contested under equal rules to men with three-minute rounds.
Puerto Rican Olympian and top ten-ranked contender Yankiel “El Doctorcito” Rivera (7-0-1, 3 KOs) faces former WBO world champion Jonathan “Bomba” González (28-4-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round flyweight showdown.
Additional Undercard Matchups
The rest of the undercard highlights bouts featuring Boricua boxing talent.
MVP’s featherweight contender Jan Paul Rivera of Puerto Rico (13-0, 7 KOs) vs. Alfredo “El Salsero” Cruz of Puerto Rico (10-3-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
Undefeated super featherweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron of Puerto Rico (20-0, 10 KOs) vs. Juan “Johnny Blaze” Tapia of Brownsville, Texas (14-4, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
Chris “The Punisher” Echevarria (9-1, 4 KOs) vs. Gabriel Bernardi (7-3, 5 KOs), both of Puerto Rico, six rounds at super bantamweight.
Abner Figueroa (7-0, 1 KO) vs. Edwin Rodriguez (12-9-3, 5 KOs), six rounds at bantamweight.
Yandiel Lozano (2-0) vs. Johniel Ramos Cotto (3-2, 1 KO), six rounds at super featherweight.
Alex “Chop Chop” Chaparro of New York (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Augusto Leal of Venezuela (3-0, 1 KO), six rounds at middleweight.
Heavyweight Raquel Miller of San Francisco (13-0, 6 KOs) against an opponent TBA, making her MVP promotional debut.
Caleb Tirado of Puerto Rico vs. Justin Hill of Minneapolis, four rounds at bantamweight in their pro debuts.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist and the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). She is the Managing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.