Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano were the main event on April 30, but Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos percolated the energy.
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano was the main event on April 30, but super middleweights Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos ignited the fight night embers in a grueling 10-round bout.
Crews-Dezurn (8-1, 2 KOs) put her WBC and WBO super middleweight titles up against Cederroos (8-1, 4 KOs) IBF and WBA belts. Crews-Dezurn walked out of the ring at New York’s Madison Square.
Crews-Dezurn looked good early. She stayed busy with her hands and routinely hit Cederroos with her overhand right.
In round 4, Cederroos was in desperate trouble. She had her moments but got rocked by several Crews-Dezurn right hands.
The doctor looked at Cederroos at the start of round 4 because of a bloody nose, but her face was bruised and battered after the round, while her nose continued to leak.
Franchon Crews-Dezurn defeated Elin Cederroos to become the undisputed super middleweight champion on the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano undercard
The punishment didn’t let up for Cederroos. Crews-Dezurn maintained her energy despite being fatigued.
Crews-Dezurn looked momentarily wobbled in round 8 but regained her composure to close the round nicely. Even though she finished well, Cederroos likely took round 8.
There wasn’t much more room for rounds to score for Cederroos.
At the end of the 10th and final round, the judges announced Crews-Dezurn as the winner via unanimous decision, with two scores of 99-91 and one of 97-93.
Crews-Dezurn is the undisputed champion. Her only loss came in her first bout in 2016 against friend and training partner Claressa Shields, who is undefeated and the undisputed middleweight champion.
Crews-Dezurn and Cederroos both showed heart. Cederroos never gave up, but Crews-Dezurn earned the belts.