Amanda Serrano to defend title in rematch vs. Heather Hardy - ESPN

Women's boxing star Amanda Serrano's next fight is for high stakes against an old rival.

Serrano will put her undisputed featherweight title on the line against Heather Hardy in the co-main event of the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz card Aug. 5 in Dallas, officials told ESPN on Thursday. Serrano beat Hardy, her fellow Brooklyn resident, in a grueling unanimous decision victory back in 2019 to win the WBO women's featherweight belt.

With a win in August, Serrano will seek a rematch with Katie Taylor in Taylor's home country of Ireland. The two fought last year in what was the first-ever women's headliner at Madison Square Garden and one of the biggest women's boxing matches ever. Serrano is promoted by Paul's Most Valuable Promotions.

«Amanda is one of the most decorated and elite athletes ever and is on path to become the winningest female boxer of all time,» Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in a statement. «After some much-needed recovery time, Amanda is excited to return to the ring and remind fans why she is the most devastating puncher in women's boxing. If Amanda prevails in the fight, the plan is to immediately pursue the rematch with Katie Taylor in Ireland.»

Serrano (44-2-1) has won two straight since falling to Taylor in a close split decision in April 2022. She is the first Puerto Rican-born undisputed world champion in boxing history. Serrano, 34, has 30 knockout victories in her career and has lost just once — the Taylor fight — in 11 years. She has won titles in seven different weight divisions.

«I am the undisputed featherweight champion today because Heather Hardy agreed to fight me in 2019 for her WBO title,» Serrano said. «That was the first step in my current run at featherweight. It's