Amanda Serrano, one of the greatest female boxers of the current generation, has refused to fight rising star Skye Nicolson after several callouts. The IBF, WBO, and WBA super featherweight champion vacated her WBC title back in December after the organization refused to sanction her twelve/two minutes round fights.

Since then, Australia’s Nicolson comprehensively outpointed Sarah Mahfoud in April this year to obtain the WBC title and challenged Serrano for the belt. However, ‘The Real Deal’, while appearing in the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani today, revealed she is not willing to break her 16-year-old tradition by answering the callout, to fight Nicolson.

Is Amanda Serrano ducking Skye Nicolson?

Ahead of Serrano’s fight in Tampa, Florida against Stevie Morgan on Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry card on July 20th, the Puerto Rican boxer spoke to Helwani, as the latter quickly brought up Nicolson’s callout to get Serrano’s reaction to it. She immediately responded, saying, “16 years  in this game, I have never done it, I will never do it. I don’t do callouts”.

Highlighting her illustrious 16-year-long career in the sport, Serrano vehemently refused to take the fight. “Like I said before, Jordan Maldonado, my coach, he dictates who I fight when I fight”. Having said that, Serrano quickly diverted to her upcoming bout, stating, “I am super excited for July 20th for the fight in Tampa”. 

Serrano’s refusal to face Nicolson also stems from the fact that Serrano doesn’t want to compete for WBC. This seems to be a very frustrating topic for Nicolson, who so badly wants to become undisputed.

Nicolson criticizes Serrano for thinking she is above the rules

The thing is, while the WBC refused Serrano’s demand for twelve/two minutes round fights, other sanctioning bodies went along with it. So, Nicolson told BBC, “Of course it is frustrating, all the other females are fighting 10 two-minute rounds, and she’s just come out and said, ‘this is what I want to do and what I am doing’”.

She elaborated, claiming the other sanctioning bodies allowing her fights have caused a significant disruption in the division. Not to mention, there’s no undisputed champion in the division, and making one has become difficult because “she does not want to abide by the rules that are set for everyone”. Nicolson doesn’t have a problem fighting in the twelve/two minutes round fights, but since the WBC won’t sanction it, things are complicated.

The more Amanda Serrano refuses to face Skye Nicolson, the more it comes off as a way to avoid the fight altogether. Her goal to show women are equally good as men in boxing by fighting in twelve/two minute rounds also comes into question, which seems nothing more than an excuse. What do you think? Should Serrano fight Nicolson?