Argentine boxer Lucrecia Manzur (14-4) will make her Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) debut on August 21, when she faces the biggest challenge of her professional career against seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano (49-4-1). The bout will take place at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California, with the event streaming live on TikTok. Ahead of the biggest opportunity of her career, Manzur spoke with Boxivo TV about the upcoming fight, her preparation, and what this moment means to her.
Interview conducted by Patryk Haus. Originally conducted in Spanish and translated into English exclusively for Boxivo’s audience.
Patryk Haus: To start, I’d like to ask how the opportunity to fight Amanda Serrano came about. What was your reaction when you found out she was going to be your next opponent? Did you accept the fight right away?
Lucrecia Manzur: When they told me about the fight, I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy because I’d wanted to fight her for more than a year. Of course I said yes right away—it was exactly what I’d been hoping for.
Patryk Haus: This will be your first fight under the MVP banner. What’s your relationship like with the people behind Most Valuable Promotions? Overall, based on what you’ve seen so far, what’s your opinion of the organization? Do you think they’re doing a good job for the sport of boxing?
Lucrecia Manzur: My promoter handles all the communication with them, so I haven’t had any direct contact. But they seem like a great organization. I always watch the events they put on, and what I like most is that they give women’s boxing the attention it deserves.
Patryk Haus: When did you find out that Amanda Serrano was going to be your opponent? The fight is scheduled for August 21, so I imagine you’ve been preparing for it for some time now. How long will your training camp be, and which gym are you training at?
Lucrecia Manzur: I train year-round—I never stop training. For this fight, it’s just a matter of adjusting and intensifying my training. I’m training at MonoBox Gym with coach Raúl Molina and my father, who is also my head coach. I also work on my strength and conditioning with my physical trainer, Román Jarillo.
Patryk Haus:The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds, with the WBO featherweight world title on the line. What motivates you more—sharing the ring with a fighter like Amanda Serrano, or the opportunity to fight for a world title?
Lucrecia Manzur: Both things motivate me. But if I had to choose one, it would obviously be the opportunity to fight for the world title.
Patryk Haus: The fight will be streamed live on TikTok, which is something quite new for combat sports. What do you think about that initiative? Does it excite you to know that millions of people on the platform could be watching your fight? It could even end up reaching a bigger audience than many traditional broadcasting platforms.
Lucrecia Manzur: I think it’s a great idea. It makes me really happy to know that so many people will be watching me fight, getting to know who I am, and learning more about me.
Patryk Haus: You’ve won seven fights by knockout during your professional career. Going into this fight with Amanda Serrano, would you like to score your eighth knockout victory, or does the way the fight ends not matter as much to you, as long as you come away with the win?
Lucrecia Manzur: I train to win. You never know what the outcome will be—anything can happen once you’re in the ring. But of course, no matter how it happens, what matters is that I come away with the victory.
Patryk Haus: What kind of Amanda Serrano are you expecting to face in the ring on August 21? Have you already studied her style and watched several of her fights?
Lucrecia Manzur: My team and I are working on that. I don’t think it’s appropriate to say what I think about her, because she’ll know.
Patryk Haus: What are your plans for the rest of your career from this point forward? If everything goes the way you hope in the fight against Amanda Serrano, do you expect to be back in the ring before the end of the year?
Lucrecia Manzur: No matter what the result is, I’ll keep training and stay focused on my dreams. This is what I’ve dedicated my life to for the past 11 years. This fight isn’t going to stop me, no matter what happens.
Patryk Haus: To wrap up the interview, what message would you like to send to your opponent, Amanda Serrano, ahead of the fight?
Lucrecia Manzur: I’m sure it’s going to be a great fight for both of us, because it’s also my dream to become a world champion.
Photo: Most Valuable Promotions, facebook