Photo: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
The Unsung Heroes of Paul vs. Woodley PPV
Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley’s match was the focal point of boxing on Sunday night’s pay-per-view but there were some boxers on the card that put it all on the line, and the day after got little or no recognition for what they did in front of 16,000 fans at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. The co-main event between Amanda Serrano and Yamileth Mercado and Montana Love’s war with Ivan Baranchyk. These are the boxers that came to box.
Oddsmakers had fight fans believing it would be an early night for Serrano but Mercado let it be known she was not there to lose. Serrano was able to defend her WBC/WBO Featherweight titles and was the dominant boxer but Mercado was never backing away from anything Serrano threw at her.
Afterward, Serrano told the media, “I had a tough Mexican in front of me tonight. She’s a champion in her own weight class, but I hope I made everyone proud and happy and that SHOWTIME will have me back again. I’m hoping that I made some of these people here fans of women’s boxing and that I made the sport proud.”
Fans of the sweet science are likely proud of both Serrano and Mercado but if there were “fight of the night” honors to be handed out at the event, an argument can be made for Love and Baranchyk. The Super Lightweight Bout was scheduled for 10 rounds but Love would do enough damage to Baranchyk by the end of round seven that would have Baranchyk’s corner call off the fight and protect their fighter.
https://twitter.com/ShowtimeBoxing/status/1432158414654877700?s=20
These boxing matches are the type of bouts that make fans fall in love with boxing. Serrano, Love, Mercado, and Baranchyk are the boxers that best represent boxing in its purest and most violent form while somehow being beautiful at the same time. To Paul and Woodley’s credit, they created a platform for the others to shine on, but as the story goes in combat sports the main event is what draws in the big money. Regardless of any opinion of the event, all the competitors went out there and did what they do best in the longest-running combat sport in professional sports.
These pugilists should take a bow, they are the boxers that boxing needs but aren’t being talked about enough the morning after.
