(Reuters) – Featherweight champion Amanda Serrano revealed that she was almost blinded by chemicals in her braiding gel, leading to the cancellation of her title defence against Nine Meinke. The Puerto Rican, scheduled to headline the San Juan card, had to withdraw from the bout after failing a medical test.
Serrano expressed her disappointment to the crowd, stating, “I wanted to fight in front of my people. I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart… I can barely see out of my eye.” She later took to Instagram to share, “I was ready to fight, all real fighters would have been.”
Explaining the situation, Serrano added, “The (doctor) said no and that devastated me… I had an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the braiding gel.” Her promoter Jake Paul commented, “This happened very last minute. Her cornea is exposed, you can’t risk losing your eyesight forever. I know she’s a warrior.”
The former unified champion, who relinquished her WBC belt in December due to the organisation’s refusal to approve three-minute rounds in women’s boxing, was set to face Meinke in a 12-round bout. Serrano also made it clear that she requested a full refund and full pay for her opponent, acknowledging that it was not their fault.
In light of the situation, Serrano shared her plans, stating, “I’m heading to New York tomorrow morning to follow up with my private Doctor. I’ll be ok in no time.” Despite the setback, she remains optimistic about her recovery and return to the ring.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
