A Passion Without Limits: Laura Serrano, her fight in women’s boxing to legalize it in Mexico

Twelve years after her retirement, the fire still burns in Laura Serrano, and her eyes light up when she talks about boxing, a sport that changed her life forever.

Laura Serrano entered the sport to change the long-standing trajectory of boxing and is at peace with the role she played—that of a pioneer. With her bare fists, she paved the way for women’s boxing to become one of the cornerstones of Mexican sports.

“My time as a boxer was very difficult, it was a turning point, a struggle, and how beautiful that is because it’s a great satisfaction when you’re building something. There were tears, fights, but we succeeded,” said the woman who broke down stereotypes and became the first Mexican woman to hold a professional boxing license after five decades of prohibition, in an interview with Heraldo USA.

The shouts of fans eager to see “how the women hit each other” left a mark on her, but through hard work, courage, and determination, she showed that women were there for more than just money or fame.

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Laura’s first encounter with boxing was in 1989 when she was a student at UNAM, looking for a physical activity to help her lose weight and stay in shape. On one of her gym visits, she came across a girl practicing boxing. Though she thought the girl was “crazy,” the sound of the speed bag, the coordination, and movements captivated her. It was love at first sight.

However, her journey into professional boxing was anything but easy. Taboo led her to hear warnings about how stepping into the ring and exchanging blows could leave her with “breast cancer or infertility,” but she saw these as mere excuses to protect a space considered exclusive to men—the most masculine of all sports.

“Boxing helped me become a better person, boxing helped me become a disciplined woman, boxing helped me develop a strong, tenacious character, and I think, for things like that alone, it was worth it.”

She made her debut in 1994, in Las Vegas, on the undercard of the rematch between Julio César Chávez and American fighter Frankie Randall. But in true Laura fashion, she went big. Despite it being her first professional fight, she agreed to face Christy Martin, the legendary American pioneer with 23 professional fights under her belt.

With a borrowed uniform and a generic mouthguard, Laura stepped into the ring without fear and gave the so-called Coalminer’s Daughter one of the toughest battles of her career. That night, she left the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena not only with a draw but also with the respect of her opponent and all the fans present.

Five fights later, she won the World International Boxing Federation title in Tunica, Mississippi, defeating Tracy Byrd by unanimous decision, and she felt her life change forever. She only had one dream left to fulfill: to fight in front of her home crowd in Mexico. But soon, she would face reality.

In 1947, the same year Mexican women were allowed to vote in municipal elections for the first time, a presidential decree issued by President Miguel Alemán prohibited women from training or participating in boxing events in Mexico City. However, 52 years later, with her gloves on, Laura arrived to break down any obstacle for herself and for the women who would follow. She fought legal battles, even filing appeals, until the decree, which contradicted the Constitution, became obsolete.

“It was a very tough battle, a fight that lasted about ten years, during which presidents of the Boxing and Wrestling Commission came and went, and they were all cut from the same cloth: ‘No to women’s boxing.’ It was a double fight, in and out of the ring, but it was totally worth it. For me, the fights were easy, but outside the ring, with men in suits, that was hard because you’re facing politicians, not just sports administrators,” she recalled.

Now, more than a decade away from the ring and dedicated to her faith, Laura looks back and believes there’s only one reason she managed to carve out a space for women in the sport: her immense passion for boxing.

“Men come to boxing looking for big payouts or fame, but women don’t. Everything I experienced, from amateur to world champion, was the result of that love,” explained the fighter, who stepped into the ring 25 times, achieving 17 wins, 5 losses, and 3 draws.

She admitted that at first, she didn’t think about the women who would follow in her footsteps because she was so focused on her dream, but now, seeing the rise of Mexican women’s boxing—placing the country as the second-strongest in terms of the number and quality of female fighters—she feels immense pride, though she acknowledges there’s still progress to be made.

“My path, which is now a spiritual one, is still a path of struggle, and it’s one where I keep my guard up.”

“I’m happy to see that women can now headline fight cards, that they earn decent wages, that they have strong roles and are thriving in their development. There’s been great progress, but in economic terms, not yet, though I trust we’ll get there,” she concluded.

About Laura Serrano and boxing:

1967: Year of her birth
1989: The year she discovered boxing as a discipline
5 years: She spent training as an amateur
25 professional fights
1995: Won the WIBF lightweight championship
2012: Year she hung up her gloves. Her last fight was against Irma García.
Her first boxing classes were at UNAM, where she studied law.
She made her professional debut in Las Vegas, facing the historic Christy Martin.
In 1947, a presidential decree by Miguel Alemán prohibited women from training and participating in boxing events.
She has a sunflower tattoo on her calf, inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s life.
Pascual Ortiz Rubio was one of the main detractors of women’s boxing.
There is a documentary narrating her story, “La Poeta del Ring.”