Editing Samuel Serrano

{{short description|Puerto Rican boxer}}
{{Infobox boxer
| image =
| caption=Serrano in 1984
| name= Samuel Serrano
| nickname= El Torbellino (The Whirlwind)
| height= 5 ft 8+1/2 in
| weight= {{plainlist|
*[[Featherweight]]
*[[Super featherweight]]
}}
| reach= 71 in
| nationality= Puerto Rican
| birth_date= {{Birth date and age|1952|11|17}}
| death_date=
| birth_place = [[Toa Alta]], Puerto Rico
| death_place =
| style = [[Orthodox stance|Orthodox]]
| total = 57
| wins = 50
| KO = 17
| losses = 6
| draws = 1
| no contests = 
}}
'''Samuel Serrano''' (born November 17, 1952) is a Puerto Rican former [[professional boxer]] who competed from 1969 to 1984 and made a two-fight comeback from 1996 to 1997. He was a two-time [[super featherweight]] world champion, having held the [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] title twice between 1976 and 1983.

According to Serrano during a 2017 interview with [[El Nuevo Dia]] newspaper, he learned to box starting at age 5 when he lived at Palmarejos barrio in [[Corozal, Puerto Rico|Corozal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/boxeo/nota/samuelserranoesuntorbellinoqueahorareposa-2297410/|title = Samuel Serrano es un torbellino que ahora reposa|date = 4 March 2017}}</ref>

==Professional boxing career==
{{ external media
| float  = right
| video1 = You may watch {{YouTube|SmBWvPhy4G8|'''Samuel Serrano''' vs '''Benedicto Villablanca'''}}
}}
Serrano, owner of long arms, began his career on October 29, 1969, with a third-round knockout win over Ramon Laureano. He built a fan base in Puerto Rico, campaigning there for his first 23 bouts, including winning and losing the Puerto Rican Featherweight title v.s [[Francisco Villegas]]. For his 24th bout, he traveled to [[Panama City]], where he met future world Featherweight champion [[Ernesto Marcel]], who beat him on points in 10 rounds. That would be his last defeat in a long time.

He then continued his winning ways, including a 10-round decision win over tough veteran [[Cocoa Perez]] and one win over future title challenger [[Diego Alcala]] of Panama, also by decision in 10. Serrano then travelled in 1976 to [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]], to meet reigning [[Lineal championship|Lineal]] and [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] world jr. Lightweight champion, the [[Philippines|Filipino]] [[Ben Villaflor]]. By most writer's accounts, Serrano beat Villaflor, but he had to return home only with a 15-round draw (tie).

The [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] ordered an immediate rematch, and so on October 16 of the same year, Villaflor went to [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]] to defend his title for the second time vs. Serrano. Serrano beat Villaflor by using his ring technique to win 12 of the 15 rounds on each judges' scorecards. As life had it, Samuel Serrano was destined to become a world champion in front of his fans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jrlight.htm|title=Samuel Serrano - Lineal Jr. Lightweight Champion|publisher=The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia}}</ref>

Serrano became a traveling champion, defending his title in places like [[Venezuela]], [[Ecuador]], [[South Africa]], Japan (twice) and, of course, Puerto Rico. One of his defenses, against [[Julio Valdez (boxer)|Julio "Diablito" Valdez]], resulted in an after-fight brawl when Serrano was announced as winner by a unanimous decision and went to greet his rival but was received with a punch to the face.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLJyao1LX_8|title = Sammy Serrano vs Julio "Diablito" Valdez|website = [[YouTube]]| date=7 May 2018 }}</ref> Serrano retaliated, and police intervention was needed. Both fighters were escorted to their dressing rooms by the police. But disaster struck for Serrano in [[Detroit]] on August 2 of 1980, when, after leading on all scorecards, he was struck by a [[Yasutsune Uehara]] right hand to the chin in round six, and lost his title by knockout to the Japanese. After that loss, he set his eyes on recovering his world title from the Japanese world champion, and so  on April 9, 1981, they met again, this time in [[Wakayama, Japan]]. Serrano was more cautious this time, and didn't try to go for the knockout after building a points lead. Even though Uehara was fighting in his homeland, all judges agreed and gave Serrano more rounds than they gave Uehara, and Serrano the world title back by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.

Serrano made two defenses and then went to [[Chile]] to give challenger [[Benedicto Villablanca]] a chance at the title on June 3, 1982. It proved to be a highly controversial fight. After 5 rounds, Serrano was ahead on the scorecards. However, a cut appeared over his eye during the 6th, and the referee ruled it to be from a punch. Serrano kept fighting, but during the 11th round, the cut was so deep, the fight had to be stopped by the doctor and Serrano had to be taken to a [[Santiago]] hospital. Since the referee ruled the cut came from a punch, initially the fight and the world title were given to Villablanca.

Serrano and his corner filed a complaint, however, claiming the cut had been caused by a headbutt instead, and upon review at the WBA's [[Panama City]] offices, WBA officials announced they had effectively seen the headbutt that Serrano claimed opened his cut happen. So the WBA decided the cut had come from a headbutt, and the judges' scorecards were reviewed. They had Serrano ahead on points after 10 rounds, so the fight, and the crown, were given back to Serrano by a [[technical decision]].

In his next defense he met the younger and physically stronger [[Roger Mayweather]]. Serrano and Mayweather gave it a good fight for most of 7 rounds, but Serrano was weakened by a barrage of punches towards the end of the 7th, and downed with a right hand in the 8th, this time, losing the title definitively.

==Retirement==
Serrano retired from the ring for one year and came back in 1984, winning by first round [[knockout]]. Then, he retired again.

In 1996, Serrano won the Puerto Rican Lightweight title vs Sammy Mejias on a 12-round decision, and  he also won a 10-round decision vs Anthony Ivory in 1997. Serrano retired after the Ivory fight with a final record of 50 wins, 5 defeats and 17 knockouts.

He made a television commercial for [[Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser]] in Puerto Rico in 1982. 
 
As of 2017, Serrano was living in a beach house at Islote, [[Arecibo, Puerto Rico|ciudad de Arecibo]]. He dedicated himself to fixing beachfront apartments and renting them, as well as to creating mosaic art, some of which he sold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/boxeo/nota/samuelserranoesuntorbellinoqueahorareposa-2297410/|title = Samuel Serrano es un torbellino que ahora reposa|date = 4 March 2017}}</ref>

==Professional boxing record==
{{BoxingRecordSummary
|draws=1
|ko-wins=17
|ko-losses=2
|dec-wins=33
|dec-losses=4
}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center
|-
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Type
!Round
!Date
!Location
!Notes
|-
|57
|{{yes2}}Win
|50–6–1
|align=left|Anthony Ivory
|PTS
|10
|Nov 6, 1997
|align=left|{{small|[[Dorado, Puerto Rico|Dorado]], Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|56
|{{yes2}}Win
|49–6–1
|align=left|Sammy Mejias
|UD
|10
|Jul 14, 1996
|align=left|{{small|Bayamon, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|55
|{{yes2}}Win
|48–6–1
|align=left|Candido Santamaria
|KO
|1 (?)
|May 26, 1984
|align=left|{{small|Mets Pavilion, [[Guaynabo]], San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|54
|{{no2}}Loss
|47–6–1
|align=left|[[Roger Mayweather]]
|TKO
|8 (15)
|Jan 19, 1983
|align=left|{{small|Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Lost WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|53
|{{yes2}}Win
|47–5–1
|align=left|[[Benedicto Villablanca]]
|TD
|11 (15)
|Jul 5, 1982
|align=left|{{small|Teatro Caupolican, [[Santiago]], Chile}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|52
|{{yes2}}Win
|46–5–1
|align=left|Hikaru Tomonari
|TKO
|12 (15)
|Dec 10, 1981
|align=left|{{small|Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|51
|{{yes2}}Win
|45–5–1
|align=left|Leonel Hernandez
|UD
|15
|July 29, 1981
|align=left|{{small|El Poliedro, [[Caracas]], Venezuela}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|50
|{{yes2}}Win
|44–5–1
|align=left|[[Yasutsune Uehara]]
|UD
|15
|Apr 9, 1981
|align=left|{{small|Prefectural Gymnasium, [[Wakayama (city)|Wakayama]], Japan}}
|align=left|{{small|Won WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|49
|{{yes2}}Win
|43–5–1
|align=left|Jesus Delgado
|KO
|2 (?)
|Sep 20, 1980
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|48
|{{no2}}Loss
|42–5–1
|align=left|[[Yasutsune Uehara]]
|KO
|6 (15)
|[[José Cuevas vs. Thomas Hearns|Aug 2, 1980]]
|align=left|{{small|Joe Louis Arena, [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], U.S.}}
|align=left|{{small|Lost WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|47
|{{yes2}}Win
|42–4–1
|align=left|Battlehawk Kazama
|TKO
|13 (15)
|Apr 3, 1980
|align=left|{{small|Central Gymnasium, [[Nara, Nara|Nara]], Japan}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|46
|{{yes2}}Win
|41–4–1
|align=left|Nkosana Mgxaji
|TKO
|8 (15)
|Dec 9, 1979
|align=left|{{small|Goodwood Showgrounds, [[Cape Town]], South Africa}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|45
|{{yes2}}Win
|40–4–1
|align=left|Julio Valdez
|UD
|15
|Feb 18, 1979
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|44
|{{yes2}}Win
|39–4–1
|align=left|Takao Maruki
|UD
|15
|Nov 29, 1978
|align=left|{{small|Aichi Prefectural Gym, [[Nagoya]], Japan}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|43
|{{yes2}}Win
|38–4–1
|align=left|Young Ho Oh
|RTD
|9 (15)
|Jul 8, 1978
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|42
|{{yes2}}Win
|37–4–1
|align=left|Mario Martínez
|UD
|15
|Feb 18, 1978
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|41
|{{yes2}}Win
|36–4–1
|align=left|Tae-Ho Kim
|TKO
|10 (15)
|Nov 19, 1977
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|40
|{{yes2}}Win
|35–4–1
|align=left|Apollo Yoshio
|UD
|15
|Aug 27, 1977
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|39
|{{yes2}}Win
|34–4–1
|align=left|Leonel Hernandez
|UD
|15
|Jul 26, 1977
|align=left|{{small|Gimnasio Luis Ramos, [[Puerto La Cruz]], Venezuela}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|38
|{{yes2}}Win
|33–4–1
|align=left|Alberto Herrera
|KO
|11 (15)
|Jan 15, 1977 
|align=left|{{small|Plaza de Toros, [[Guayaquil]], Ecuador}}
|align=left|{{small|Retained WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|37
|{{yes2}}Win
|32–4–1
|align=left|[[Ben Villaflor]]
|UD
|15
|Oct 16, 1976
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Won WBA and ''The Ring'' super featherweight titles}}
|-
|36
|{{yes2}}Win
|31–4–1
|align=left|Adrian Villanueva
|KO
|2 (?)
|Sep 10, 1976
|align=left|{{small|Bayamon, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|35
|{{yes2}}Win
|30–4–1
|align=left|Mar Basa
|TKO
|9 (10)
|May 8, 1976
|align=left|{{small|[[Bayamon]], Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|34
|{{draw}}Draw
|29–4–1
|align=left|[[Ben Villaflor]]
|SD
|15
|Apr 13, 1976
|align=left|{{small|Blaisdell Center Arena, [[Honolulu, Hawaii]], U.S.}}
|align=left|{{small|For [[list of WBA world champions#Super featherweight|WBA]], and [[list of The Ring world champions#Junior lightweight|''The Ring'' super featherweight titles]]}}
|-
|33
|{{yes2}}Win
|29–4
|align=left|Maneul Rodriguez
|TKO
|6 (?)
|Dec 13, 1975
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|32
|{{yes2}}Win
|28–4
|align=left|Diego Alcala
|PTS
|10
|Oct 11, 1975
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|31
|{{yes2}}Win
|27–4
|align=left|Ahmet Tosci
|KO
|2 (10)
|Sep 1, 1975
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|30
|{{yes2}}Win
|26–4
|align=left|Victor Echegaray
|PTS
|10
|Jul 28, 1975
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|29
|{{yes2}}Win
|25–4
|align=left|Jose Pena
|PTS
|10
|Apr 12, 1975
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|28
|{{yes2}}Win
|24–4
|align=left|Memo Cruz
|PTS
|10
|Nov 15, 1974
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|27
|{{yes2}}Win
|23–4
|align=left|Ezequiel Cocoa Sanchez
|PTS
|10
|Jul 29, 1974
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|26
|{{yes2}}Win
|22–4
|align=left|Gustavo Briceno
|KO
|10 (12)
|Jul 15, 1974
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Won Puerto Rican featherweight title}}
|-
|25
|{{yes2}}Win
|21–4
|align=left|Lorenzo Trujillo
|PTS
|10
|Apr 15, 1974
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|24
|{{No2}}Loss
|20–4
|align=left|[[Ernesto Marcel]]
|SD
|10
|Dec 5, 1973
|align=left|{{small|Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, [[Panama City]], Panama}}
|align=left|
|-
|23
|{{yes2}}Win
|20–3
|align=left|Jose Issac Martin
|PTS
|10
|Jul 21, 1973
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|22
|{{yes2}}Win
|19–3
|align=left|Freddie Major
|KO
|1 (10)
|Jun 10, 1973
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|21
|{{yes2}}Win
|18–3
|align=left|Terry Rondeau
|KO
|2 (?)
|Apr 14, 1973
|align=left|{{small|Carolina, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|20
|{{yes2}}Win
|17–3
|align=left|John Howard
|PTS
|10
|Mar 24, 1973
|align=left|{{small|[[Carolina, Puerto Rico|Carolina]], Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|19
|{{yes2}}Win
|16–3
|align=left|Nestor Rojas
|PTS
|10
|Feb 16, 1973
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|18
|{{yes2}}Win
|15–3
|align=left|Angel Rivera
|PTS
|12
|Dec 9, 1972
|align=left|{{small|Ponce, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|17
|{{No2}}Loss
|14–3
|align=left|Francisco Villegas
|PTS
|12
|Apr 8, 1972
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Lost Puerto Rican featherweight title}}
|-
|16
|{{yes2}}Win
|14–2
|align=left|Angel Rivera
|PTS
|10
|Dec 4, 1971
|align=left|{{small|Ponce, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|15
|{{yes2}}Win
|13–2
|align=left|Francisco Villegas
|PTS
|12
|Oct 25, 1971
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|{{small|Won Puerto Rican [[featherweight]] title}}
|-
|14
|{{yes2}}Win
|12–2
|align=left|Braulio Rodriguez
|PTS
|10
|July 3, 1971
|align=left|{{small|[[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|13
|{{yes2}}Win
|11–2
|align=left|Gustavo Briceno
|PTS
|10
|May 15, 1971
|align=left|{{small|Ponce, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|12
|{{no2}}Loss
|10–2
|align=left|Fremio Jimenez
|PTS
|10
|Mar 24, 1971
|align=left|{{small|Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic}}
|align=left|
|-
|11
|{{yes2}}Win
|10–1
|align=left|Wilson Yambo
|PTS
|10
|Feb 4, 1971
|align=left|{{small|[[Ponce, Puerto Rico|Ponce]], Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|10
|{{yes2}}Win
|9–1
|align=left|Modesto Concepcion
|PTS
|8
|Oct 31, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|9
|{{yes2}}Win
|8–1
|align=left|Ramon Dominguez
|PTS
|6
|Jun 6, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|8
|{{yes2}}Win
|7–1
|align=left|Modesto Concepcion
|PTS
|6
|May 9, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|7
|{{yes2}}Win
|6–1
|align=left|Robert Guerrero
|PTS
|6
|Apr 11, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|6
|{{yes2}}Win
|5–1
|align=left|Ramon Montes
|PTS
|6
|Mar 14, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|5
|{{yes2}}Win
|4–1
|align=left|Modesto Escalera
|PTS
|6
|Feb 14, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|4
|{{yes2}}Win
|3–1
|align=left|Sammy Correa
|{{abbr|TKO|Technical Knockout}}
|3 (?)
|Jan 17, 1970
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|3
|{{no2}}Loss
|2–1
|align=left|Enrique Roque
|PTS
|4
|Dec 12, 1969
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|2
|{{yes2}}Win
|2–0
|align=left|Radames Pizzarro
|PTS
|4
|Nov 13, 1969
|align=left|{{small|San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|-
|1
|{{yes2}}Win
|1–0
|align=left|Ramon Laureano
|{{abbr|KO|Knockout}}
|3 (?)
|Nov 1, 1969
|align=left|{{small|[[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], Puerto Rico}}
|align=left|
|}

==See also==
*[[List of world super-featherweight boxing champions]]
*[[List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions#List of male world champions|List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions]]
*[[Sports in Puerto Rico#Boxing|Sports in Puerto Rico]]
*[[Afro–Puerto Ricans]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Boxrec|id=2552}}
*[http://www.short-biographies.com/biographies/SamuelSerrano.html Samuel Serrano biography]
*[http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/serrano.htm Samuel Serrano - CBZ Profile]

{{s-start}} 
{{s-sports}}
{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=World boxing titles}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Ben Villaflor]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of WBA world champions#Super featherweight|WBA super featherweight champion]]
|years=October 16, 1976 - August 2, 1980}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Yasutsune Uehara]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of The Ring world champions#Junior lightweight|''The Ring'' super featherweight champion]]
|years=October 16, 1976 - August 2, 1980}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Yasutsune Uehara}}
{{s-ttl|title=WBA super featherweight champion
|years=April 9, 1981 - January 19, 1983}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Roger Mayweather]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=''The Ring'' super featherweight champion
|years=April 9, 1981 - January 19, 1983}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Serrano, Samuel}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican male boxers]]
[[Category:People from Toa Alta, Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:World super-featherweight boxing champions]]
[[Category:The Ring (magazine) champions]]
[[Category:World Boxing Association champions]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]