The scheduled main event boxing match between Amanda Serrano and Nina Meinke was canceled Saturday night just minutes before it was supposed to happen, it was announced on the card's broadcast in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Serrano suffered an eye injury Friday and was deemed medically unfit to compete by the Puerto Rican Boxing Commission, according to event promoter Most Valuable Promotions.
The event was billed as Serrano's homecoming, her first time fighting on her home island since becoming undisputed featherweight champion. MVP announced during the event that everyone who paid for tickets to the show would get a 100% refund and that Meinke would be paid her full purse.
Serrano appeared in the ring to address the fans and was very emotional. She apologized and said she would one day have her retirement fight in Puerto Rico.
"I wanted to fight in front of my people," Serrano said.
Serrano stood next to Jake Paul, her promoter, in the ring as he explained that her cornea had been exposed due to the injury. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said later during a postfight news conference that Serrano's eye had become irritated Friday by a hair product she used Thursday night, and the hope had been that prescribed eye drops would treat the injury in time to fight. Serrano wore sunglasses at the weigh-ins Friday due to the irritation.
Later, on social media, Serrano elaborated on her emotions after the decision, saying "everyone who knows me knows I'm a warrior & I would never agree to cancel a fight. I would have fought without an eye or arm."
Bidarian said Serrano was feeling better Saturday and came to the arena with the intent to fight. During the prefight medical exam, the commission doctor determined she had impaired vision and said the commission would not approve her to fight. That was right around the fourth round of the fight between Javon "Wanna" Walton and Joshua Torres on the main card, according to Bidarian.
Paul won in the co-main event, knocking out Ryan Bourland in the first round. He said Serrano's cornea was exposed and that it would have been extremely risky for her to compete. Paul said the injury happened 36 hours prior and MVP and Serrano had been working to get her ready to fight since then.
"I'm absolutely gutted," Meinke said. "We all wanted this fight. I wanted this fight. Puerto Rico wanted this fight. I really hope we can make this happen again."
WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel said his sanctioning body will not strip Serrano of her title. Meinke, he said, will remain the mandatory challenger.
"She wanted to fight, but the doctor didn't allow her to fight because of the problem in the left eye," Valcarcel said. "I assume the fight will be rescheduled and we will sanction the fight."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.