At first glance, Cindy and Amanda Serrano are your standard pretty, everyday sisters. Cindy, being the oldest, is the protector. She possesses a savage beauty and model-good looks that bring to mind tomboy supermodel Omahyra Mota. She hates to be called Cynthia, looks you straight in the eyes with when speaking to you, and has a quiet demeanor that opens up to a wonderful personality once the ice is broken. Amanda has a playful spirit that is accentuated by her hearty laugh; she’s girly outside of the ring, but speaks with the same intensity (and eye contact) characteristic of her older sister. Both seem like former Puerto Rican princesses that blossomed into beautiful Boricua women.
Photography ADOLPHUS AMISSAH
Styling CHAD GROOM AND LLEWELLYN JENKINS FOR THE STYLEMONSTERS
Makeup LEO ELEY
Hair SHANTA’ MCQUILLAR
Production Assistant(s) TIFFINY DIXON . RICK BROWN
Location GYM X BOXING CLUB
However, that is where the façade ends. These women know their way around a fight. Both are pugilistic animals once the boxing gloves go on; delivering hooks, jabs and body blows that would make most men think twice before approaching them at a party.
They are revered by their fans in the amateur arena and well-respected by their peers on the professional circuit. Amanda (whose record is 18-1-1, with 13 KOs), recently took down her opponent, Dominga Olivo, in the first 3 rounds of a bruising fight that was meant to go 6 (Olivo’s corner stopped the fight). Ranked #1 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and #2 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) in her featherweight class, she is known to end fights early (sometimes in the first round). She also has the 2nd highest KO percentage in female boxing- across ALL weight classes. Don’t let the J-Lo laugh she possesses fool you. There’s a reason they call her Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano.
Cindy “Checkmate” Serrano is no slouch, either. Originally, she took up boxing to get fit. What a difference a few winning matches make! With the help of her trainer Jordan Maldonado (who, incidentally, is her husband and father to her daughter as well), she has been a consistent force to be reckoned with since turning pro in 2003. She spars with men in the ring, moves with a sense of purpose and stings like a bee (to borrow the phrase from another famous boxer). As of the writing of this article, her record is 20-4 with 9 KO’s. She just prevailed in her last fight, defeating Diana Garcia by unanimous decision.
Both sisters train at Gym X Boxing Club in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, so XEX met them in their natural habitat, with tons of fashion and a glam squad, for an editorial that proves you can be beasts in the ring and beauties outside of it.
Up Against The Ropes article taken from XEX’s REBEL EDITION : FEB 1014