View source for Laura Serrano

{{short description|Mexican boxer}}
{{Infobox boxer
|name        = Laura Serrano
|image       = 
|realname    = Laura Serrano Garcia
|nickname    = La Poeta del Ring
|weight      = [[Featherweight]]
|nationality = {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Mexico|Mexican]]
|birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1967|10|20|mf=y}}
|birth_place = [[Mexico City]], [[Mexico]]
|height      = 165 cm
|style       = [[Southpaw stance|Southpaw]]
|total       = 25
|wins        = 17
|losses      = 4
|draws       = 2
|no contests =  
|KO          = 6
}}
'''Laura Serrano Garcia''' (born October 20, 1967, in [[Mexico City]]) is a Mexican boxer.

Serrano began boxing at the [[Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]] in [[Mexico City]], where she was studying to become a lawyer. She wanted to lose weight and stay in shape. She applied for a professional boxer's license in Mexico. After a short appearance in two episodes of the ''[[Volver a empezar (television)|Volver a empezar]]'' soap opera, she went to [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], and on a [[pay per view]] card she challenged [[Christy Martin (boxer)|Christy Martin]] for the world title. It was her first fight as a professional and resulted in a [[tie (draw)|draw]].

Serrano's next fight was against world champion [[Deirdre Gogarty]]. She won by a knockout in seven rounds, in what was the first all [[women's boxing]] undercard held at the [[Aladdin Hotel & Casino]] in Las Vegas.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ErHAwAAQBAJ&q=laura+serrano+boxer&pg=PA206|title=A History of Women's Boxing|first=Malissa|last=Smith|date=5 June 2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781442229952|accessdate=18 May 2017|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Serrano was supposed to box on the [[Julio César Chávez]]-[[Miguel Ángel González (boxer)|Miguel Ángel González]] [[Pay Per View]] event's undercard in [[Mexico City]]. However, a ban from 1947 was found, forbidding women from boxing events in Mexico City.<ref> 🖉{{Cite web|url=http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/099572487630e1c4ca151479a3303c60|title=MEXICO: OFFICIALS BAN 2 WOMEN'S BOXING MATCHES &#124; AP Archive|website=www.aparchive.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3"> 🖉{{Cite web|url=https://www.jornada.com.mx/2013/05/05/deportes/a15n1dep |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506043417/https://www.jornada.com.mx/2013/05/05/deportes/a15n1dep |archive-date=2022-05-06 |title=La Jornada: El boxeo me sale debiendo, pero vivo para él: Serrano|date=6 May 2022}}</ref> Thanks in part to Serrano's subsequent legal battle, the ordinance was dropped.

Serrano suffered a foot injury{{When|date=August 2010}} for which she underwent surgery, but in 1999 she came back and won a decision in her comeback bout. She then, on 2 September 1999, [details from her BoxRec page] met and defeated the world champion [[Tracy Byrd (boxer)|Tracy Byrd]] to become Mexico's first woman world boxing champion.

She defended her title against [[Cinthya Prouder]] (won in a unanimous decision after round 6), [[Alicia Ashley]] (won in a unanimous decision after round 8), [[Gina Greenwald]] (knockout in round 1) and [[Kelsey Jeffries]] (knockout in round 3), followed. The Jeffries fight resulted in Jeffries' first defeat.

On August 12, 2008, Serrano challenged [[Melissa Del Valle]] for the Junior Lightweight title. Once again, this world title attempt resulted in a draw ([[tie (draw)|tie]]).

Serrano has won her last two world title defenses, both decisions, one in ten rounds in Las Vegas and another one, a six-round win in [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]].

== Personal ==
As of 2005, she was engaged to be married. Serrano is also a lawyer.

During 2015, she was inducted as the first Mexican female boxer in the [[International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iwbhf.com/news042315serrano.htm|title=2015 IWBHF Inductee: Laura Serrano|website=www.iwbhf.com|accessdate=18 May 2017}}</ref>

==Professional boxing record==
{{BoxingRecordSummary
|draws = 3
|nc=
|ko-wins = 6
|ko-losses = 0
|dec-wins = 11
|dec-losses = 5
|dq-wins =
|dq-losses =
}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
|-
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Type
!Round, time
!Date
!Location
!Notes
|-
|25
|
|
|style="text-align:left;"|
|
|
|
|style="text-align:left;"|
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|24
|
|
|style="text-align:left;"|
|
|
|
|style="text-align:left;"|
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|23
|{{no2}}Loss
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Ina Menzer
|UD
|
|2007-11-17
|style="text-align:left;"|Bordelandhalle, Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
|style="text-align:left;"|Women's International Boxing Federation World featherweight title
|-
|22
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Shanty Ortiz
|UD
|
|2007-09-21
|style="text-align:left;"|Sindicato de Taxistas, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|21
|{{no2}}Loss
|
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Jeannine Garside]]
|UD
|
|2006-11-04
|style="text-align:left;"|Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
|style="text-align:left;"|vacant Women's International Boxing Association World featherweight title
|-
|20
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tracy Byrd (boxer)|Tracy Byrd]]
|RTD
|
|2006-04-01
|style="text-align:left;"|Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio, Colorado, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|19
|{{no2}}Loss
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Jo Wyman
|UD
|
|2003-07-15
|style="text-align:left;"|Playboy Mansion, Beverly Hills, California, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|18
|{{no2}}Loss
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Isra Girgrah]]
|SD
|
|2003-04-18
|style="text-align:left;"|Palace Indian Gaming Center, Lemoore, California, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|17
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Jo Wyman
|TKO
|
|2003-02-07
|style="text-align:left;"|HP Pavilion, San Jose, California, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|16
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Jo Wyman
|MD
|
|2002-03-22
|style="text-align:left;"|Celebrity Theater, Phoenix, Arizona, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|15
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Kelsey Jeffries
|
|
|2001-11-11
|style="text-align:left;"|Belterra Casino Resort, Elizabeth, Indiana, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|14
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Snodene Blakeney
|UD
|
|2001-09-23
|style="text-align:left;"|Sunset Station, San Antonio, Texas, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|13
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chevelle Hallback]]
|MD
|
|2001-07-08
|style="text-align:left;"|Texas Station Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|12
|{{draw}}Draw
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Melissa Del Valle]]
|PTS
|
|2000-08-12
|style="text-align:left;"|Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort, Miami, Florida, US
|style="text-align:left;"|Women's International Boxing Association World super featherweight title
|-
|11
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Kelsey Jeffries
|TKO
|
|2000-06-16
|style="text-align:left;"|Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|10
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Gina Greenwald
|TKO
|
|2000-05-24
|style="text-align:left;"|Treasure Chest Casino, Kenner, Louisiana, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|9
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Alicia Ashley]]
|UD
|
|2000-02-11
|style="text-align:left;"|Gold Strike Casino, Tunica, Mississippi, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|8
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Cynthia Prouder
|UD
|
|1999-09-27
|style="text-align:left;"|Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|7
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tracy Byrd]]
|UD
|
|1999-09-02
|style="text-align:left;"|Gold Strike Casino, Tunica, Mississippi, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|6
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Layla McCarter]]
|SD
|
|1999-07-26
|style="text-align:left;"|Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|5
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Gloria Ramirez
|PTS
|
|1998-05-01
|style="text-align:left;"|Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|4
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Cheryl Nance
|TKO
|
|[[Michael Moorer vs. Vaughn Bean|29 Mar 1997]]
|style="text-align:left;"|Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|3
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|Maria Nieves Garcia
|PTS
|
|1996-04-22
|style="text-align:left;"|Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|2
|{{yes2}}Win
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Deirdre Gogarty]]
|TKO
|
|1995-04-20
|style="text-align:left;"|Aladdin Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
|style="text-align:left;"|Women's International Boxing Federation World lightweight title
|-
|1
|{{no2}}Draw
|
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Christy Martin (boxer)|Christy Martin]]
|PTS
|
|[[Revenge: The Rematches|May 7, 1994]]
|style="text-align:left;"|MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
|style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{boxrec|id=16989}}
* [http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/women%20modern/serrano.html Biography] from the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]

==Further reading==
*{{cite book
| last1 = Smith
| first1 = Malissa
| title = A History of Women's Boxing
| date = 2014
| publisher = Rowman & Littlefield
| location = Lanham, MD
| isbn = 978-1442229952
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_ErHAwAAQBAJ
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Serrano, Laura}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mexican women boxers]]
[[Category:Boxers from Mexico City]]
[[Category:Southpaw boxers]]
[[Category:National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni]]
[[Category:World boxing champions]]
[[Category:Featherweight boxers]]