“I’m absolutely devastated”
Boxer Meinke is in the ring, then the world championship fight is canceled
March 3, 2024, 8:17 a.m
Nina Meinke is ready for the world championship fight. Everything is ready for the big duel against Amanda Serrano. Except the star boxer from Puerto Rico. Because of an eye injury, she had to pass at the last second. Boxing icon Regina Halmich criticizes the short-term cancellation.
Shock for Nina Meinke: The Berliner’s World Championship fight against superstar Amanda Serrano was canceled immediately before the start. The four-time world champion from Puerto Rico was unable to compete due to an eye injury. Serrano told her German challenger this in the ring. “I’m absolutely devastated,” said Meinke: “We all wanted this fight, Puerto Rico wanted this fight. I really hope we can get it done again. I hope Amanda will recover quickly. I’m ready when It’s you.”
Meinke would have been the first German to box over the full men’s distance. The featherweight fight was already arranged and the arena in San Juan was sold out with 18,500 spectators. Serrano’s four world championship belts were at stake. “I wanted to put on a show,” said Serrano, who wanted to defend her world title in her home country for the first time: “But I’ve had a problem with my eyes for a few days. I wanted to fight in front of my people.” But the doctors didn’t allow her to do that because of the injury.
“It raises questions,” said Regina Halmich, TV expert at DAZN and former long-time world champion: “And I really have to say, it’s not okay, if she had something wrong with her eye yesterday, that Team Meinke would be like that leaves me in the dark. I feel sorry for Nina.”